Loves illusions I recall
by kobitah
Summary: A multi-chapter starting in Season 4. Involves Cooper. HP friendship. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This was sitting on my hard-drive and thought I'd post it. It's set during the start of Season 4, after New York. As with most of my stories it's not really case-centred at all, mostly stuff "behind-the-scenes." This story involves Cooper (Lo-Fi/Mayhem) and in this story he's a single widower with a young son. So keep that in mind. Please read and review.

And FYI, this was probably my first story so it's not my best work.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

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The team was at the local bar for a Drive-By Truckers gig, winding down after closing a case. Emily and JJ had gone to the bar to order drinks for the group and were waiting for their turn. She felt the buzzing of her phone in her pocket. Emily pulled it out and opened up her cell. "I'll be back in a second," she said, tapping JJ on the arm. "Everything ok?" JJ asked. Emily nodded. "Cooper. Save me a spot." JJ nodded as she headed back to the table where the rest were sitting. Hotch looked up and watched as Emily walked out the door and answered her phone. Morgan looked over and tapped JJ on the shoulder. "Where's Emily?" JJ smiled. "She got a call," she said.

"Hello," she said. She could barely hear his voice. "Hang on. Let me get outside!" she shouted down the phone. "That's better," she said, closing the door to the bar. "Hey," he said. Emily smiled. They'd talked a few times on the phone since they met in New York. Emily paused for a moment, her heart beating faster. "What's going on?" she asked."Uh, just thought I'd call. I'm in DC for the week and took a shot that you'd be in town." Emily smiled and blushed. "Uh, well I'm out with the team. We're at a bar just around the corner from the office. I could probably leave early and meet up for a coffee?" she suggested. "Sure, or I could just walk across the street?" he asked.

Emily looked up and glanced around the streets. Then she saw him, making his way through the cars and over to where she stood. As she put her phone back in her pocket she tried to calm herself. "Hey," he said to her, smiling. "Hey," she replied. "How are you Cooper?" Emily leant forward and gently kissed Cooper on the cheek. He put his hand on her hip, kissed her back, and smiled, then put his hands back in his pockets.

"So, how are you?" she asked him. It had only been almost ten months since he'd been shot in New York. He nodded and looked up from his feet, shifting his gaze to meet hers. "I'm doing good." Emily nodded and looked concerned. "So, uh, what's going on?" she asked. Cooper paused and looked back down at his feet. "I'm in DC for a week. I've got some family stuff. I was wondering if you'd like to go to dinner with me sometime this week?" Cooper asked. Emily raised her eyebrows and nodded.

"Uh, sure," she replied, with a furrowed brow. "Great!" Cooper said. "Well, we're off rotation this weekend so I'll be free tomorrow night." Cooper nodded. "Ok, I'll pick you up at seven," he said. Emily nodded, still confused. "Alright. Uh, ok," she said. "Great, well I need to get back to my hotel. I'll see you tomorrow night." Cooper said, smiling. He started to walk away then turned and smiled. Emily watched him as he walked away and smiled as she walked back into the bar.

She walked over to where the others were standing and stood in the spot next to JJ. "Everything alright?" she asked. Emily nodded and held up her phone. "Dinner tomorrow!" she shouted. JJ raised her eyebrows and looked over at Morgan. Gradually a smile crept across her face. "What?" Emily asked, looking at both of them. JJ shook her head and pointed to the stage. Emily grinned and turned to face the band. Hotch looked over at the girls and frowned.


	2. Chapter 2

Emily had been sitting on the floor in front of her closet staring. She'd been getting ready for awhile and just needed to pick an actual outfit. She knew it was ridiculous but she was experiencing one of those moments that every woman, from teenagers going on their first dates to seventy year olds celebrating their wedding anniversaries, experience at one point or another in their lives. The "I have nothing to wear," problem. She got up from the floor and pulled out her in case of emergency black dress. As she walked downstairs, she carried her shoes and her clutch, singing along to the music in her CD player. She looked at the clock in the kitchen. _Ten minutes to spare, _she thought to herself. She put her cards, ID, and cell phone in her clutch and put it on the counter. She walked into the laundry and took her washing out, putting it in the dryer. Just as she closed the dryer she heard a knock at the door. She quickly ran into the kitchen and started to put her shoes on as she moved towards her front door. She stood up, straightened her dress, then pulled open the door. "Right on time," she said as she opened the door.

"Hotch?" she asked, seeing her boss standing at her front door. Hotch raised his eyebrows when he saw her. "Wow," Hotch said "You look, uh..." Emily looked down and smiled. "Date?" Hotch asked. Emily blushed and nodded. "What can I do for you Hotch?" Emily said, nervously looking out into the hallway. The last person she wanted to show up was Cooper. She was secretly hoping he was running late. She knew it was silly but she didn't want the team to know. "Well, I won't take long. I just wanted to come and get those suppositions from you. Jack couldn't come this weekend so..." Hotch explained. Emily nodded and stepped aside, signaling for Hotch to come in. "I'll grab them from my study," Emily said. Hotch watched her as she walked into a small room just inside the apartment. She leant over the desk and picked up the files. Hotch watched as she flicked her foot in the air. He caught himself looking at her. He coughed as he turned and walked further into the apartment. Emily quickly joined him in the lounge where he stood looking out the windows at the Capital. He turned as she held out the files to him. He took them and smiled. "Thanks," he said, walking back towards the front door. "I guess I should be going." Emily nodded as she followed him. She opened the door and Hotch walked through. "Goodnight Emily," he said, looking down at the files, "Have fun." Emily thanked him and he headed back towards the elevator. As he stepped into the elevator and turned to press a button, he saw someone come out of the other elevator and walk past. The man caught Hotch's eye and he put his hand in the door to stop it from closing. Hotch poked his head out of the elevator and frowned. _Cooper? _

Emily opened the door and, this time, wasn't surprised. "Hey Cooper. Just let me grab my purse and I'll be good to go." She ran into the kitchen as Cooper walked into the apartment. He smiled as she grabbed her purse off the counter and walked back to the door. As they headed downstairs, Cooper had a cab waiting. "So what's new Cooper?" Emily asked nervously. "How's the family?" Cooper smiled. When they'd been in New York she'd assumed that he was married and had a toddler. The second part was right. Sammy was two and a half years old. The first part was wrong. "Family's good. Sammy's staying with my Mom in New York while I'm here." He looked over at Emily who finally understood. "So, New York?" she asked. He shook his head. "I was married. Just after Sammy, my son, was born my wife passed away." Emily frowned, "I'm sorry," she said. He shook his head. "So what's new with you? How's life in the BAU?" he asked. For the rest of the ride to the restaurant Emily relaxed. Dinner was wonderful and quiet and gave them a chance to talk. After dinner, Emily suggested they go for a walk through the city. They walked out of a restaurant into the warm, summer air. As they made their way down the street, Cooper reached over and laced his fingers with Emily's. She looked down at their hands and smiled, then looked across at Cooper who was smiling at her. Eventually they made it back to Emily's apartment. She paused at the door and unlocked it. "Thanks for dinner," she said, turning the key. "Thanks for coming," Cooper said, reaching for her hand. He leant forward and kissed her. She kissed back, and put her arms around his neck. He had his hands on her waist and pulled her body close to his. When he pulled back he smiled. "Goodnight Emily," he said. He turned and walked away and she watched, smiling. When she closed the door of her apartment behind her she touched her lips and smiled.

It was one of those rainy summer afternoons, when the sun was trying so hard to break through the clouds but couldn't. Emily had decided to go for a run and try to enjoy her weekend. She had her I-pod playing John Mayer and liked the feeling of the light rain on her skin. Just as she turned the corner on her way back home, the rain started pouring down. She looked up the street and there was his car. She ran up the front stairs of her building and into the foyer. He was standing at the desk, writing a message for her. "Cooper," she said, patting his arm. He turned and smiled when he saw her. "Hey. I was just leaving you a note," Cooper said. He looked at her, soaking wet. "You ran. In this?" he asked. She nodded. "The rain's good for you," she said. Cooper laughed and put his hands up to her face. "Crazy lady! I tried calling but you didn't pick up. I wanted to know if you were free again tonight? I know it's really soon but I have to go back to New York tomorrow." Emily nodded. "Seven work for you again?" he asked. Emily nodded again. "I'll see you then Cooper," she replied. "See you then," Cooper said, before walking out the front door. Emily watched him walk then ran out after him. "Cooper!" she called out. He turned, standing in the rain. She ran up to him and kissed him passionately, then pulled away and smiled. "Awesome weather!" she cried out before running back into the building. Cooper smiled and watched her before getting into his car.


	3. Chapter 3

The hatch opened shortly after the jet landed. They were home. They made their way down the steps and over to the cars. The drive back to the office was quick and they caught the elevator up to the BAU. As they walked through the thick glass doors Morgan suggested the team hit a bar to wind down. It was Friday night so the team had a couple of days off, provided they didn't get a call.

"You up for it Prentiss?" Morgan asked as she placed her files on her desk.

"I can't tonight sorry guys. I have a date." She answered, grinning as she packed some paperwork into her briefcase. Hotch looked back at her as he walked up the stairs to his office. He'd seen Cooper in Prentiss' building a couple of months earlier and wondered if they were still dating.

"Oh really? And you're just mentioning this now?" Morgan teased. "So who is he? Anyone we know?" Prentiss didn't say a word. She just smiled as she packed her files in her briefcase. Hotch walked back down to the bull-pen.

"Cmon Emily, give us a clue," Morgan said as he looked up at Hotch. "Ok one clue," she paused, "Yeah, you know him," Prentiss replied, picking up her bags. She gave the guys another smile before heading out the door. They all watched her get into the elevator and wave.

"Looks like it's a boy's night out tonight. JJ's just gone home." Reid said, standing to join Rossi, Morgan and Hotch. They headed to the bar together. When they arrived Morgan immediately found someone to dance with, while the others sat at the bar. After a couple of songs Morgan joined the others.

"So who do you think it is?" he asked Rossi, ordering a drink from the bartender.

"I don't know. She said it was someone we knew?" he replied. Morgan nodded and looked over at Hotch. "Any thoughts?" Morgan asked him. Hotch took a sip of his beer and shrugged his shoulders. "In any case, it's her business. She obviously hasn't told us for a reason," he continued, holding up his empty glass at the bartender.

Emily walked down the stairs, dressed in jeans and a mickey-mouse t-shirt. She heard a knock at the door and ran to answer it. He was standing there, dressed in jeans and a sweater, looking handsome as ever. Emily threw herself into his arms. "Hey you!" she cried out. "Hey. You ready to go?" he asked. Emily nodded as she kissed him. "Just need to grab my purse," she said, running into the kitchen, grabbing her satchel from the bench, and returning to Cooper at the door. "So what do we have planned for this evening?" Cooper asked, putting his arm around Emily's waist as they walked to the elevator. "Drinks, then I have a surprise," she replied, grinning. When she'd pressed the button she turned to him. "You wearing socks?" she asked, pulling up the leg of his jeans. Cooper smiled and pulled her close. "Socks?" he asked. Emily zipped her lip and smiled. They reached the foyer and walked out onto the street. Cooper waved his arm for a cab and opened the door for Emily.

As they walked into the bar, Cooper kissed the top of Emily's head. "I'm just going to head to the bathroom. I'll meet you back at the bar?" Emily said. Cooper nodded and took a seat at the bar. Emily opened the door from the bathroom and started walking back down the hall towards the bar. "Emily?" he called out as he walked towards her. She looked up and smiled. "Dave! What are you doing here?" she asked. "The guys headed out after you and JJ left. What are you doing here?" Emily smiled and looked at her feet. "Hanging out with someone," she replied. Dave nodded. They continued down the hall towards the bar. When Dave looked up he smiled. "Detective Cooper," he said, holding out his hand. "Agent Rossi," Cooper replied, looking sly as Emily put her arm around his shoulder. Cooper looked over at Emily. "So uh, secret's out huh?" he asked. Emily smiled and nodded. "You haven't told anyone?" Dave asked. "JJ and Garcia know but the guys don't know. Except for you now," Emily replied. Dave nodded. "Do you want to join us? We've got a booth on the other side." Emily looked at Cooper and nodded.

Hotch, Morgan, and Reid were sitting at the booth, talking about the case they'd just returned from. When he saw who was walking towards them, Morgan raised his eyebrows. "Emily. How you goin?" he asked. Hotch and Reid both looked up as well and saw Cooper. "Here, sit down." The guys moved and Emily slid in next to Hotch, with Cooper next to her. Hotch smiled uncomfortably as he looked over at Cooper's hand on Emily's leg. "Anyone for a round?" Cooper asked, standing. Everyone nodded. "I'll give you a hand," Rossi said. The two men walked over to the bar. When Emily turned back to the guys she blushed. "Alright, let's have it," she said. Morgan looked at Reid. "Cooper? Seriously? Isn't he married with kids?" Morgan asked. Emily shook her head. "He has a son, Sammy, but he's not married anymore. His wife passed away when Sammy was born." The guys nodded. "So how long have you guys been dating?" Reid asked Emily. "About three months right?" Hotch said. Emily looked at him and nodded. "Yeah, how'd you know?" Hotch looked at his empty glass. "I saw him when I came to pick up those suppositions." Emily nodded.

When Cooper and Rossi returned to the table they passed around the drinks. Cooper sat next to Emily and put his arm around her. "He gave me "the Talk"' Cooper whispered in her ear. Emily looked at him and smiled, patting his leg. "So how long are you in DC for?" Morgan asked. "Just for the weekend. I have to get back home tomorrow night for work on Monday. And my mom has Sammy so I wanna spend Sunday with him." Morgan nodded. Emily and Cooper stayed for a couple of rounds and talked with the guys. Emily looked at her watch. "Oh, we have to get going. We've got a reservation to keep," she said, patting his leg and smiling. "Where you going?" Rossi asked. "It's a surprise. Can't spoil it," Emily replied as they stood from the booth. Cooper put his hands on Emily's shoulders. She looked over at him and smiled. "Alright, I'll see you guys on Monday," she said. "Have a good weekend. Good to see you Cooper," Morgan said. Each of the guys shook his hand and said goodnight. They watched as Emily and Cooper turned and walked out of the bar, their arms around each other.

As they walked down the street, Cooper kissed the top of Emily's head. "Well, that was interesting," he said. Emily smiled and looked up into his eyes. "Mmmm, to say the least," she paused, "At least they know now." Cooper nodded. "Alright, so where are we off to now?" he asked. Emily smiled and took his hand. "We're almost there," she said, grinning. She led him into the building and up to the counter. "One lane, two pairs please," she asked the server. She looked at Cooper and smiled at him. He grinned. "You serious?" he asked. Emily nodded. She held up the shoes. "Let's go bowling!" she cried out, following the server to their lane.

It was about 11pm when they got back to Emily's apartment. As they walked inside, Emily laughed when Cooper claimed he'd won their final game. "No way! I totally kicked your ass. See!" she said, holding up the score card. Cooper laughed and pulled her close, then kissed her passionately. "Alright, time for bed Agent Prentiss. We've got an early morning tomorrow," Cooper said, picking her up and tossing her over his shoulder. She squealed as she threw her bag on the floor and he carried her up the stairs. He threw her on the bed and she pulled him on top of her, kissing him.

The next morning Prentiss woke to the sun on her face. She rolled over, smiling, but Cooper wasn't there. She sat up and got out of bed, putting on a pair of boxers and Cooper's NYPD shirt. She walked downstairs and saw Cooper standing in the kitchen, making pancakes. She leant on the railing of the stairs and watched him, smiling. He was humming along to the music playing in the kitchen, oblivious to the fact that she was watching him. When he turned to put the pancakes on the plates he saw her and smiled. She walked over to him and kissed him. "You're wonderful," she said, putting her hands on his waist. She climbed up on the bench and watched him cook some more. He poured her a glass of orange juice and walked over to her. She wrapped her legs around him and smiled, kissing him. He put the glass on the bench and put his hands around her waist. As they kissed there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it. You just sit there," Cooper said. Emily smiled and picked up the paper and looked at the front page.

Cooper opened the door and was surprised at who stood there. "Agent Hotchner," he said, stepping back to let Hotch in. Hotch forced a smile as he walked past Cooper, into Emily's apartment. Emily looked up and saw who it was. She immediately jumped off the bench and put the paper down. "Hotch? What's going on?" she asked. He looked at her, dressed in Cooper's shirt and boxers, secretly happy that he'd interrupted their intimate breakfast. "We've got a case. We're meeting at the airport," he explained. Cooper had joined them in the kitchen and took the frying pan off the cook-top. Emily looked over at him and frowned. Hotch looked at her, "I'll uh, meet you downstairs. Fifteen minutes long enough?" Emily nodded and watched Hotch walk out. "I'm sorry honey," she said as Cooper looked at the pancakes. He shook his head and looked at her and smiled. "It's alright. Really. You better hurry up," he said. She ran upstairs, quickly showered and got her go-bag. She walked into the kitchen and Cooper handed her a Tupperware container. "For the drive. You need to eat something," he said, smiling and taking her go-bag. They walked to the elevator. When they reached the foyer, Hotch turned and watched them say goodbye. "I'll see you in a couple of weeks ok?" he said. Emily nodded as Cooper put his hand on her shoulder and kissed her forehead. She looked up and kissed him on the lips. Hotch frowned and looked at his feet. He heard the elevator ring and footsteps moving towards him.

The drive to the airport was quiet. Hotch's stubborn-ness stopped him from saying the first word. Prentiss looked out the window as she ate the pancake Cooper had given her. She looked at Hotch and offered him some food. He shook his head. "What's going on Hotch?" she asked, "Why so quiet?" Hotch looked at her briefly, then back at the road. "Nothing. I'm fine," he said plainly, "Are you ok?" he asked. She shrugged her shoulders. "I just want a weekend. And not just a Saturday, Sunday. But an actual weekend, where I can sit back and read, and spend time with Cooper. Don't you ever want that?" she asked. "Time with Cooper? No," Hotch joked. Prentiss laughed. "You made a joke!" Hotch looked at her, "I am capable you know." Prentiss smiled and nodded. "But I understand. I'm just not the type to take time off. Plus, I don't really have any reason to. Jack's gone." Prentiss nodded again. "Hotch, you need to get a life." Hotch laughed and looked back at the road.


	4. Chapter 4

"Emly!" the little boy cried out as he ran towards her. Emily knelt on the floor and picked him up, watching Cooper walk towards them. "Hey honey," he said, leaning over his son and kissing his girlfriend. "You ready?" she asked him. Cooper nodded. As they walked towards the elevator Cooper reached into his pocket to check it was still there. He breathed a sigh of relief as Sammy pressed the button.

Emily opened the door to the apartment and Sammy ran through, then upstairs to his room. Cooper followed them and put their bags on the floor near the stairs. He made his way over to Emily, standing in the laundry taking clothes out of the dryer. He put his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck. "I'm so glad you're here!" Emily said, turning to face him. She put her hands around his neck and kissed him passionately. "Glad to be here honey," Cooper answered. "So we've got reservations for Montinelli's for tonight. JJ's free to take Sammy. He and Henry can play and he can sleep over if we want." Cooper nodded. Emily laughed, "Ok, well we just have to let her know when we drop him off." They walked into the lounge and collapsed on the couch. Cooper put his arm around Emily and smiled when Sammy came running down the stairs. He jumped up on the couch and lay next to Emily. They sat there for awhile, until Emily looked at the clock. "Alright boys, gotta get ready," she said, tapping Cooper's knee. Cooper stood up, "I'll take him upstairs and get him ready." Emily nodded and watched them walk up the stairs.

Her phone rang and she ran over to pick it up. "Prentiss," she said. "Hey Prentiss, it's Hotch." Emily smiled. "Hi Hotch. How's your weekend going?" she asked. He coughed. "Uh, well. I'm at the office." Emily sighed. "Hotch, put down the phone and leave. You need to get out of your head, and everyone else's, for awhile." Hotch smiled. "Yes ma'am," he said. "Is there something I can do for you?" Emily asked. Hotch paused. "Just wondering where your copy of the Houston supposition is," he asked. Emily rolled her eyes. "It's in my desk, second drawer from the top. But Hotch, once you've got the file, GO HOME!" Emily said. Hotch smiled. "Ok," he replied. "Promise?" she asked. "Sure," Hotch said, "Enjoy your time off Prentiss." They said goodbye and hung up. Hotch walked down the stairs to Prentiss' desk and opened the second drawer. He found the suppositions and picked them up.

Underneath the file was a photo of Emily, with Cooper and a little boy, whom Hotch assumed was Cooper's son. They were in Central Park, smiling at the camera. Hotch smiled, before closing the drawer and returning to his office. Rather than sitting back at his desk, he put the files into his briefcase, turned off his office light and closed the door.

Emily rang the doorbell and put her arm around Cooper. JJ opened the door. "Hey!" she said, stepping back so the three of them could come into the apartment. "Hey JJ. How are you?" Emily asked, giving her friend a hug. "I'm great, how are you? Hey Cooper," JJ replied. Cooper said hi and put Sammy down. "Hey Sammy," JJ said, kneeling down, "We've got a great night planned. I picked up a couple of DVD's and Henry just got a new Lego set." Sammy's face lit up as Will took him down the hall to the lounge room. "Alright, well we should be back around 10. Give me a call if you need anything," Emily said as they walked back to the front door. "He'll be fine. Just have fun you two," JJ said, opening the door. Emily walked through and Cooper quickly turned to JJ and whispered "thanks." JJ winked as they said goodbye.

After dinner, Emily and Cooper decided to go for a walk by the Anacostia. It was a warm night. The moonlight reflected in the surface of the water and the lights of the city looked beautiful against the dark sky. Cooper put his arm around Emily's shoulder and she leant into him. "Do you wanna sit by the water for awhile?" Cooper asked. Emily nodded and they found a spot on the grass. Cooper put his jacket down and they sat down. Emily leant into Cooper. They sat there for awhile, looking at the stars and the flowing water. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out, holding it in front of Emily. She sat up quickly and turned. Cooper got up on one knee and held it out. It was a beautiful ring, princess cut, 2 carats, on a white gold setting. "Emily Prentiss, will you marry me?" he asked her. Emily couldn't say a word. She just nodded then kissed him. When they pulled back she cried out, "Yes!" He picked up her hand and gently slid the ring on her finger. "I love you so much Em. You're beautiful, intelligent, you love me and my son. I can't imagine my life without you now." Emily smiled and embraced him. They sat back and Emily leant into Cooper again. They stayed there for awhile, enjoying the moment.

When she heard the knock at the door, JJ ran to answer it. She swung open the door and squealed when she saw Emily and Cooper standing there, grinning. "Let me see it!" she cried out. Emily held out her hand to show her friend the ring.

"Congratulations guys!" she said, hugging Emily tight, then hugging Cooper. "Come in!" They walked into the apartment and saw Will, sitting on the lounge. He turned the TV off and stood to congratulate their friends. "Have a seat guys," JJ said, taking a seat with Will. They stayed for about an hour before Cooper went into the room and picked up his little son. Emily took his bag and they walked towards the door. "Congratulations again Emily," JJ said, "I'll see you Monday?" Emily nodded and thanked her for taking care of Sammy.

When they got back home, Emily opened the door. "I'm just gonna take him up to bed," Cooper said. Emily nodded and kissed Sammy on the head. She stood and watched Cooper carry the little boy up the stairs, then put her purse on the bench. She walked into the lounge and opened the blinds. As she turned to head back to the kitchen to turn on the kettle Cooper started making his way down the stairs. "Hello fiancée," he said, walking over and kissing her. "Hello," she said, putting her hands on his waist. "Coffee?" she asked. Cooper nodded. She made them each a coffee and walked back to the lounge. "So I'm guessing you told JJ in advance?" Emily asked, looking over at Cooper and putting her hand on his stomach. Cooper nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I called her this week to ask if she could baby-sit." Emily reached over and took his mug, placing it on the table. She leant over and kissed him passionately. "So, who else have you told?" she asked. "I called your parents and asked them," Cooper said. Emily sat up and smiled. "Are you serious?" Cooper grinned and nodded as she climbed on his lap. She kissed him passionately as he ran his hands up the inside of her top, unbuttoning it as he went. She unbuttoned his shirt and he rolled on top of her. They made love, and fell asleep in each other's arms. It was about 3am when they stood and walked upstairs.

It was Monday morning. Cooper and Sammy had an early flight. Emily had dropped them off and said goodbye. They were going to pack up their apartment in New York and move to DC. Emily drove straight from the airport to the office. When she arrived Morgan and Rossi were already in. "Agent Prentiss!" Morgan cried out when he saw her walk through the doors to the BAU. "Hey guys," she said, putting her briefcase on her desk. When she turned to face them she realized they knew. "Let me guess, JJ?" she asked. Rossi smiled and nodded. "Congratulations Emily," Rossi said, embracing her. "Congratulations," Morgan said, giving her a hug. She looked at them and smiled. "Emily! Show me! Show me!" Garcia squealed as she and JJ walked across the room. Emily hugged Garcia then held out her hand. "Oh it's beautiful!" Emily smiled. "Ok, so now everyone knows right?" Emily asked JJ. She shook her head and nodded towards Hotch's office. Emily nodded nervously and walked towards the stairs. The rest of the team watched as Prentiss knocked on Hotch's door.

"Come in," he called out. He looked up from his desk and smiled. "Prentiss," he said, standing up, "What can I do for you?" Prentiss smiled nervously. "I uh, thought I should let you know before it starts around the office." She paused and took a deep breath. Hotch frowned as his palms began to sweat. "What is it Emily?" he asked. She was shocked as he said her given name. "Uh, Cooper proposed last night," she said. Hotch swallowed the lump in his throat, composed himself and forced a smile. "Wow," he said, moving to the other side of his desk. He walked over and hugged her tight. She put her hands on his back and he held her tight. "Congratulations Emily," he said. When he pulled away he quickly returned to the other side of his desk. "So, New York or DC?" he asked. Prentiss frowned. "Uh, DC. I'm not leaving the team," she paused, "just getting married." He smiled awkwardly. Prentiss made her way to the door. "Emily," Hotch started. Prentiss turned to face him. "Really, congratulations." Prentiss nodded and smiled at him before heading out the door. Hotch watched her as she rejoined the rest of the team in the bull-pen. When Rossi looked up at Hotch, he turned back to his paperwork and tried to collect his thoughts. He had decided long ago that he couldn't give Emily what she wanted. He had failed in his last relationship and couldn't put her through that. And he knew it wasn't fair to expect that she wouldn't move on. But now that she was engaged it was more final than it had been before.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I have to apologise. I didn't edit the last chapter (4) before I posted it so there were a few errors. As for this chapter, all done. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

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Emily rolled over as her alarm began to beep. She groaned as she hit the button and lay back down, staring at the ceiling. There was a knock at the door. She sat up in bed and wiped her eyes. "Come in," she called out. They opened the door and poked their heads in. "You can come in girls," she called out again. They ran into Emily's room and jumped on the bed. "You're getting married today!" Garcia squealed. Emily grinned then fell back onto her pillow. Garcia took one hand, JJ took the other and they dragged Emily down the hall to the bathroom. There was a bath, candles, a copy of the latest "People" magazine, and a CD player with Rosie Thomas. "Relax. It's your day sister-friend," Garcia said as JJ gently closed the door. Emily took off her clothes and hopped into the luke-warm water. She turned on the music, slid down into the water, and closed her eyes. She let her mind wander. Cooper's smiling face greeted her and she grinned. _I can't believe it. I'm marrying him today!_ She thought to herself.

An hour later Emily got out of the bath, and dried off. She wrapped her dressing gown on then opened the door. She made her way down the stairs and found Garcia, JJ, Lauren (Emily's younger sister), and her mom sitting in the lounge. Garcia was having her hair fixed by the hair-dresser. "Hey Em!" Elizabeth called out, seeing her daughter. "Hey mom," she answered. The two women embraced. "What can I get you? Do you want some food or coffee?" Emily nodded. "Coffee would be fantastic. Thanks mom." Emily sat on the couch next to JJ who put her arm around her. "How are you feeling?" JJ asked. Emily nodded and took the cup of coffee from her mom. "The bath was great. Thanks for that." JJ ran her fingers through Emily's hair.

The girls all took their turn having their hair fixed then their make-up done. When Emily's make-up was done she walked upstairs with JJ to get into her dress. When she was dressed she started her way downstairs, carrying her shoes. When the other women looked up they all gasped. "Sweetheart, you look…" Elizabeth's voice trailed off. "Are you ready?" Emily nodded. "Alright well the car is waiting downstairs. Let's get your shoes on." Elizabeth said.

* * *

Cooper was at the front of the church, standing at the altar. His brother was next to him, and his college room-mate and best friend was next to Jeremy. Cooper looked nervous as he stood there waiting. Sammy was sitting in the front row with Cooper's mom, Gloria. On the other side of the church sat Emily's step-mom and step-sister, her husband and son, along with Emily's friends. Behind Johnny and Cal sat the rest of the team, Morgan, Rossi, Reid, Kevin, and Will, with Henry sitting on his lap. Hotch was running late.

Emily's car pulled up in front of the church. Her father got out of the car and helped her out. Elizabeth got out and gave her daughter a kiss. "I'll see you in there," she said. Emily nodded nervously. "Hotch?" Emily called out, seeing him walk towards the entrance to the church. Hotch stopped on the steps and looked at Emily, JJ, and Garcia. He couldn't take his eyes off Emily. She walked over to him. "I'm glad I made it. Sorry I'm late," he said. He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "You look beautiful Emily," he whispered. She blushed and looked at her feet. "Thank God it's only for a day. I don't think I can do these heels for much longer," she joked nervously. "I better get inside. I'll talk to you later," Hotch said, walking away. Simon walked up to his daughter and took her hand. "You ready sweetheart?" he asked his daughter. She looked at her dad, then at Garcia and JJ. "Let's get this over with," Emily said.

Angus and Julia Stone's "Bella" started and the guests stood to watch the women enter the church. Garcia made her way to the front and stood on the first step. JJ followed soon after, each of them dressed in mint-green dresses. They each carried a bouquet of white and green tulips. Cooper's grin grew as he looked down the aisle and saw Emily, her arm linked with her father's. As they made their way down the aisle, Hotch looked over at Emily, who returned his gaze. They smiled at each other. Emily looked back towards Cooper and grinned, restraining herself from running down the aisle. When they reached the altar, Cooper shook Simon's hand and smiled, taking Emily's arm. He leant over to Emily and whispered "You wanna get married?" Emily looked over at him and smiled, nodding. They walked to the top step and took their places in front of the minister as the guests sat back down. As the minister said "You may now kiss the bride," Cooper grinned and Emily laughed. He pulled her close to him and they kissed, for the first time as husband and wife. As he hugged her tight, he whispered in her ear, "I love you Em." When they pulled back, Emily smiled and reached up to wipe the lipstick from Cooper's lips.

* * *

After the bridal party had taken some time to get photos taken, they arrived at the reception. The guests stood and cheered as the couple made their way into the ballroom. As they took their seats, Emily's step-brother stood to MC. "Hey everyone, I'd like to thank you all for coming to celebrate with Cooper and Em. We all know it's taken long enough for her to find a man who was willing to marry her," he joked. Emily mouthed thanks and imitated a slap. After everyone had eaten their first course it was time for dancing. "If you'll all turn to the dancefloor, it's time for the couple's first dance," Matty said. Everyone watched as Cooper held out his hand and the couple made their way to the dancefloor. The music started and he put his arm around her waist and she put her hand on his shoulder. As they moved across the dancefloor, Emily whispered in Cooper's ear. "I love you Coop." He pulled back and smiled, kissing her passionately. "I love you too Em." He paused for a moment, noticing a tear running down her cheek. He reached up and gently wiped it away. "What's wrong?" he asked. She shook her head and looked down at his tie, and smiled. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just so happy," she said. He pulled her tight again. "Me too," he said.

Matty opened up the dancefloor to everyone else. Kevin pulled Garcia out onto the floor, and JJ and Will joined them. Reid took Henry and sat back, watching the couples dance. Morgan asked Lauren to dance. Rossi watched as Hotch ordered another drink from the waiter. He sat back in his chair and watched Cooper and Emily. He knew he should be happy for his friend, that she'd found Cooper and married him. He just wished he'd had the guts to tell her how he felt before today. When the dance finished, Emily said she was going to check in with the guys, so Cooper went to where his mom sat with Sammy.

Emily made her way over to the table to say hi to the rest of the team. "Emily, you look stunning," Rossi said, standing and hugging his friend. "Thanks Dave," she said, looking at the rest of the guys sitting at the table. "Ok, who's next," Garcia cried out, letting Morgan take a seat after a few quick dances. She pointed at Hotch. "Cmon, Agent Hotchner. It's your turn," she said. Hotch put his hands up. "I don't really dance," he said defensively. Garcia put her hands on her hips. "Yes you do! We've all seen it!" she said, clearly not taking no for an answer. She took his hand and dragged him onto the dancefloor.

As the song changed to "For once in my life," Emily sat down in Hotch's chair and laughed as she and Rossi watched Garcia and Hotch dance. Rossi turned to Emily and saw the grin on her face. "So I'm guessing you're happy?" he asked. Emily looked at him and nodded. "I'm married to a man I love, I have a new son, and I get to see Hotch smile…and dance," she answered. Rossi laughed and turned back to the dancefloor. As the music played Sammy ran over to Emily and pulled her onto the dancefloor. She picked him up and they started to dance to the music. Hotch looked over as Cooper walked over and joined them, putting his hands on his wife's waist. She leant over and kissed him.

The new family danced with their friends. They cut the cake and Cooper shoved the cake in Emily's face. JJ, Emily and Garcia did the thriller dance and the bus-stop when the songs came on and everyone laughed.

As the night wound down, it was time for the newlyweds to leave for their honeymoon. They said goodbye to everyone, thanking them for coming. "I'll see you guys in a week," Emily said to her team-mates. Hotch nodded. "Enjoy your time off," he said. She smiled and hugged him. "Thanks Hotch." He put his hands on her waist and sighed. After they'd said goodbye to Sammy, the couple walked through the doors, into the foyer, and hopped into the car waiting for them. They were to have a week in California before returning to DC, where Cooper was taking a detective role with the Metro DC police.

* * *

A/N: Emily's married! How exciting! And for those who are worried, don't be. Y'all know the kinds of stories I write. Please read and review.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Just a short piece post-honeymoon. Little bit of family fluff with Emily/Cooper/Sammy.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

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"We're home!" Emily cried as she opened the door to their apartment. "What time did we say we were going to pick Sammy up?" Cooper asked as he carried their bags in. "7. We've got about an hour," Emily replied as she turned to face her husband. "I was going to get the washing in then get some paperwork done," she said as Cooper walked over and put his hands on Emily's hips. He kissed her and smiled. "I know something else we could do," he said slyly. She grinned and playfully smacked his chest. "We have to get this done while we have the chance. I have to be back at work on Monday. That's the day after tomorrow," she said, carrying their bags into the laundry. "Ok, fine," Cooper conceded. "I'll go start unpacking this stuff," he said, holding up a bag. Emily nodded and kissed him as she put the first load in the machine. After she'd turned the machine on, she walked into the study and sat at her desk. She opened her laptop and signed in. 76 new messages. She closed her laptop and promised to check it later. She walked upstairs and saw Cooper in their room, unpacking their clean clothes. She walked up behind him and put her arms around his waist. "Hey husband," she said, kissing the back of his neck. He turned and smiled, kissed her and replied, "Hey wife." They kissed passionately. An hour later they got re-dressed and walked downstairs. Cooper took Emily's hand and grabbed the keys off the hook. They headed down to the street and walked the three blocks to JJ and Will's apartment.

"Cooper! Emily! Come in guys," JJ cried as she opened the door and welcomed the couple in. "Hey JJ. How is everything?" They made their way in and Sammy heard his dad's voice and came tearing down the hallway. "Daddy! Mommy!" he cried out. He jumped into Cooper's arms and hugged him tight. "Hey buddy. How was your week?" he asked. Emily kissed the little boy hello and looked over at JJ. They stayed for a cup of coffee while the two boys played. Soon enough it was time to go home. "I'll see you Monday Em," JJ said as she walked them to the front door. "Bye JJ," Sammy said, "thanks for looking after me." They said goodnight and JJ watched as the family made their way down the hall towards the elevator.

* * *

The next morning, Sammy came running into his parent's room at 6am. He jumped up on the bed and squished between them. Cooper rolled over and smiled. "Morning buddy," he said. "Morning Daddy." Cooper leant over his son and kissed his wife's cheek. "Hey, how about we let Mommy sleep in," Cooper said, getting out of bed and picking up his son. Cooper and Sammy walked downstairs to the lounge. Sammy switched on the TV and Cooper went into the kitchen. As he opened the fridge he realized they hadn't had time to shop for food since coming home. "Stay here, Sammy. I'm gonna go wake Mommy up so we can go out for breakfast," Cooper said as he made his way up the stairs. Fifteen minutes later Emily walked down, dressed in jeans and a loose floral top. "You ready guys?" she asked. Cooper got his wallet and cell from the counter and Sammy took Emily's hand as they walked out the door.

The family made their way down the street. Emily looked over at Cooper and smiled as they held Sammy's hands. They arrived at the café and Emily found a table while Cooper took Sammy to the bathroom. Sitting in the shade of a tree, on the deck of the café, overlooking the Anacostia. Eventually, Sammy and Cooper joined Emily. Cooper sat next to his wife and leant over to kiss her. "Beautiful weather hey," he said. Emily nodded and smiled. After they'd ordered breakfast they sat in silence for awhile, enjoying the beautiful day.

Hotch was walking down the street, dressed in khakis and a blue t-shirt. He walked towards the café and didn't notice the family sitting at the table. Hotch walked past them and into the café. He emerged five minutes later with a coffee. As he made his way onto the deck, Cooper noticed him. "Hotch," he called out. Emily looked up and smiled. "Hey Hotch!" she cried out as she ran her fingers through Sammy's thick dark curls. "Hey guys," he said. "How was your week away?" he asked. Emily smiled at Cooper. "It was great. Awesome to get her away for a week," Cooper answered. Hotch nodded. "Well, I better get back. Got a lot of work to do," he said. "Did you guys get a case?" Emily asked. Hotch shook his head and looked at his coffee. "No, we've just been doing paperwork." Emily nodded. "Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Hotch said, "Enjoy your last day of freedom." He smiled at the family before walking back down to the sidewalk.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: This is actually a mid-point chapter. I'd written chapters 6 and 7 but thought I needed another one in between. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

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Emily woke up and frowned. She wasn't sure where the hell she was. Then she remembered. Party. Alcohol. Dave's. Superbowl. She rolled over and smiled. Cooper was fast asleep. This year they just wanted a quietish night in so the team had come up to Dave's holiday "cottage" for the Superbowl. It was just the grown-ups. All the kids were at home, being taken care of by various relatives. So they'd all taken the opportunity to let a little loose. And boy did they. Emily squinted and vaguely recalled Garcia managing to get Hotch to do shots. Then he'd even suggested they play limbo with the broom. Emily chuckled at the image of Hotch bent over backwards, trying to stoop under the broom.

She sat up in bed and ran her hand over Cooper's shoulder. He was still out cold. Emily smiled and leant over, kissing his cheek before she hopped out of bed. She threw on her jeans and a t-shirt and made her way downstairs to see if anyone else was up yet. She found Dave in the kitchen.

"Morning Dave," she said brightly. Dave smiled. "I see we're the only ones who may have survived last night," he joked. Emily chuckled and nodding, leaning on the bench. Dave pushed a fresh cup of coffee over to her and she thanked him before taking a sip. "I was just going to run down to the bakery a couple of doors down and grab some food for everyone. Do you want to come?" he asked. Emily shook her head. "No, it's ok. I'll just sit here and read the paper," she replied. Dave nodded and said he'd be back in ten. Emily stood at the bench, sipping her coffee and reading the paper.

As she turned the page, she glanced out the window. The cottage was right on the water, with a great view of the lake. The sun was shining through and Emily had no doubt it would be a great day. Cooper and Will were going to head back to the city that morning to get the boys and bring them up for a day of swimming and playing, before a small barbecue that night. Emily sighed.

A moment later she felt his hands wrap around her waist and she sighed again. "Morning beautiful," he whispered in her ear. Emily lay her head back on Cooper's shoulder and smiled. "Morning," she replied. She reached over and poured a cup of coffee for her husband, passing it back to him. He took a sip and sighed. He placed the cup on the bench and wrapped his arms around her waist again, kissing the side of her neck. "How'd you sleep?" he asked. Emily shrugged. "Better than you," she teased. Cooper poked her sides and she shrieked. "Stop it! Argh! You know I'm ticklish you bastard!" she cried out. Cooper smiled and Emily turned in his arms, smacking his chest playfully. "I'm…" she kissed him quickly, "Going to…" she kissed his jaw, "get you back." She kissed down his neck and he sighed. Emily stood up straight and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him tenderly and he held onto her waist.

Hotch followed Morgan and Reid down the stairs. The two younger agents seemed alright after last night's festivities, but Hotch was feeling a little out of it. They reached the door to the kitchen and Morgan growned. "You two should know better. Not in front of the kid," he teased, pointing at Reid. Emily stood back and grinned. He chuckled and took a step back. "Sorry guys… she made me do it," Cooper said, holding his hands up. Morgan laughed as Emily poured the three freshly woken guys a coffee. "Now that I can believe," he joked, taking his coffee from Emily and walking over to the table. "And what exactly is wrong with making out with my husband?" she asked. Hotch huffed and Reid shook his head. "Don't get Morgan started on his aversion to public displays of affection," Reid said.

Emily chuckled as she passed a mug to Reid, then one to Hotch. "Dave ducked down the road to get some breakfast for everyone. He should be back soon," Emily explained, bringing her coffee up as Cooper wrapped his arms around her waist again. The guys nodded and settled at the table to drink their coffees. Emily made her way over and sat next to Hotch. He was sitting down and leant his forehead on the table, his eyes closed. She leant over and rubbed his shoulder.

"Have too much fun did you Hotch?" she teased. Hotch groaned and turned his head to face her. "I have the worst ache in my back. I don't remember why though," he whispered, his brow wrinkled. Emily chuckled and bit her lip. "Does the word 'limbo' mean anything to you?" she asked. Hotch frowned and shook his head. "No… I didn't?" he asked, horrified. Emily looked over at Cooper and smiled, then turned back to Hotch and nodded. He groaned again, closing his eyes. "I'm never drinking again," he mumbled.

Emily smiled and picked up the bottle of aspirin from the middle of the table and put it in front of him. Hotch sat up and rolled his eyes. He popped the top off the bottle and dropped two pills into his hand, tossed them in his mouth, and followed them with a sip of coffee. Emily pat his shoulder and turned back to Cooper's conversation with Reid about Comic Con.

"I didn't know you liked the Green Lantern," Reid exclaimed excitedly. Emily nodded for him and ran her fingers through Cooper's hair. "Yes. My man's a nerd!" she cooed. Cooper rolled his eyes. "I'm not a nerd. I'm just interested in comics," he said defensively. Emily and Morgan laughed. "Hey man, it's fine for you to be a nerd. It'd make you fit in with the rest of us," Morgan chuckled.

Hotch sat up and growled. "We're not _all _nerds," he mumbled. The others laughed. "Yes we are man," Morgan teased. Hotch huffed. "We might not all be geeks, but we're most definitely nerds my friend," Emily said, patting Hotch's shoulder. He crossed his arms and sat back in the chair. "Being intelligent doesn't make you a nerd," he huffed. Emily burst out laughing.

"Uh… trying not to sound stuck-up, but _our _level of intelligence definitely makes us nerds," she teased. Cooper nodded. "It's true. _Emily _is definitely a nerd. We sit in bed and I'm watching Sports Center, and she's reading "The psychopath next door," or "Dr. Hare's Warning Signs of Psychopathy," he teased. Emily smacked his leg and leant into Cooper's side. "But you love me anyway right?" she asked. Cooper nodded and kissed her hair. "Of course I do," he nodded.

Morgan groaned. "I gotta get outta here before you guys make me sick," he teased. Emily threw a rolled up napkin at him. Morgan held up his hands and stood up from the table. "Uh, I think I'll join you," Reid said. He stood and followed Morgan through the back screen door. Cooper tapped the table. "I think I might go and check if Will's ready to go pick up the boys," he said. Emily nodded and kissed his cheek.

When Cooper walked out, Emily turned to Hotch. She pat his arm. "Why don't we get you something to eat?" she suggested. "I thought Dave was getting food," he mumbled, rubbing his temples. Emily nodded and smiled. "Alright. Well, why don't you go and shower," she hinted. Hotch turned his head and sniffed. "Wow. I'm sorry," he chuckled. Emily laughed and nodded. Hotch smiled sheepishly, "I guess I'll see you in a bit," he said, standing from the table. Emily nodded and turned to watch him leave. Then she turned back to look out the window.

* * *

"Food's here!" Dave called out to the boys in the backyard as he walked into the kitchen. Emily smiled and joined him at the counter. "Is anyone else up?" he asked. Emily nodded. "Cooper's gone to see if Will's ready to go, and Hotch is having a shower," she explained. Dave nodded. "Is Hotch ok?" he asked. Emily chuckled as she sliced the melon. "Uh. He's not feeling 100%," she explained.

Dave smiled and nodded. He turned to switch on the cooktop to cook up the bacon. "You and Cooper seem happy," he commented. Emily smiled and nodded. "We are Dave. Thanks," she replied. Dave smiled and put his arm around her shoulders and kissing her cheek. "You deserve it honey. You deserve to be happy," he said. Emily pat his arm and smiled. "Thanks Dave."

Dave turned back to the skillet and smiled. He was happy for Emily. She was like his surrogate daughter. He only wanted what was best for her. And even though he knew that Hotch had feelings for Emily, he knew that Cooper made her truly happy. He could give her the life she wanted.

Hotch walked into the kitchen, running his hands through his hair. "Morning Dave," he said brightly. Dave chuckled. "How you feeling Hotch?" he asked. Emily turned and watched Hotch nod. "I'm actually feeling better. Thanks," he answered. Emily passed Hotch a bowl of fruit and nodded towards the table. Hotch mouthed "thank you" and walked over.

Hotch sat down at the table. He was actually feeling surprisingly better. The shower had done wonders. His head was still a little fuzzy but he felt awake and he his headache was settling down. Hotch picked up a piece of orange in the bowl and lifted the fork to his mouth, just as Cooper walked in.

He watched Cooper walk into the kitchen and wrap his arms around Emily's waist and whisper in her ear. Hotch frowned and looked down at his fruit. He didn't really want to see that. He could deal with knowing intellectually that they were married but he couldn't really deal with it being thrown in his face, even if that's not what they were doing. He looked up just as Emily turned and rest her wrists on Cooper's shoulders as she kissed him quickly. Hotch's stomach churned.

Hotch hated this. He hated that he still held onto these feelings. It wasn't fair. Not to himself, and especially not to Emily. She deserved to have that sort of life, the life that she wanted. And Hotch knew he wasn't in a place to give it to her. He saw her whisper something in his ear and looked back down at his bowl of fruit. He needed to make these feelings go away.

"You feeling any better Hotch?" Cooper asked. Emily turned and Hotch nodded. Cooper nodded and pursed his lips in a tight smile. "You keeping down that fruit salad?" Emily asked. Hotch nodded again and this time Emily wrinkled her brow. What was going on with him? One minute he's chatty, the next he's "Silent Bob." She shook her head and raised her eyebrows, turning back to Cooper.

"Uh, I'll guess I'll see you guys later. Will and I are heading back to the city to get the kids," Cooper said. Hotch looked up briefly and waved his spoon. Dave looked at Hotch, then smiled at Cooper. "See you this afternoon. Drive safe," Dave said. Cooper nodded and walked through the door and down the hall. Emily smiled at the guys and followed him.

Dave watched after them and turned to Hotch when they were out of earshot. "Nice," he huffed. Hotch frowned. "What?" he asked, looking up from his fruit bowl. Dave shook his head. "Look Hotch, I understand. I get it. But you had the chance to say something a year ago and you didn't. So you don't get to act like they're hurting you ok?" Dave said, cutting at Hotch. He realized it was harsh, but his friend needed honesty now more than ever.

Hotch shook his head. "I'm not… I don't," he mumbled. Dave shook his head. "Don't give me that crap. I've been at this game a hell of a lot longer than you. And I get it. But you need to let her go. You need to let her be happy. If you really love her, that's the least you can do," Dave said. Hotch shook his head and looked down at his fruit salad. He didn't know if he could stomach this. He put his fork on the table and sat back. "I know Dave. I know and I'm trying," he answered. Dave nodded. "I know. I just… Maybe you need to try harder or you're going to lose her altogether," he said. Hotch nodded.

* * *

Emily was sitting on the front porch, reading. The house was so peaceful. Dave had taken JJ into town to show them around and Morgan and Reid were out on the back porch playing chess. Hotch had fallen asleep in the lounge, his third dose of aspirin kicking in.

"_Pride is the recognition of the fact that you are your own highest value and, like all of man's values, it has to be earned._" Emily was enjoying contemplating the thoughts of Ayn Rand. It was a rare moment where she could enjoy reading, with minimal interruptions. She huffed. But such is the life as the mother of a three year old. She smiled. She wouldn't want it any other way.

Emily looked up when she heard the screen door open. She saw Hotch walk through the door carrying two mugs. "Thought you might like a cup of coffee," he said, holding out one of the mugs. Emily smiled and put her book down on the seat next to her. "Thanks," she said, taking one of the cups. "Emily," he said quietly. Emily nodded and turned to face him. "I just wanted to say, you seem really happy… with Cooper. I mean, since you got married. You're taking the cases a lot better, you're just… happier," he stuttered. Emily smiled and nodded. "I am. I'm really happy," she agreed. Hotch smiled tightly and nodded. "That's good," he said quietly.

Emily sighed and took a sip of her coffee. "So how are you going? You coping with everything?" she asked. Hotch nodded and smiled. "I'm good," he said. Emily looked at him sideways and he rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'm getting there," he corrected. Emily smiled and nodded. "That's better," she said, patting his knee. Hotch smiled behind his coffee mug.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Hotch opened his mouth to say something. But before he could say a word a car pulled in the driveway and Emily looked up and grinned. She pat Hotch's arm. "The boys are here!" she said excitedly. Hotch nodded and Emily jumped up to meet them. She ran down the front steps and opened the car door.

"Sammy!" she cried out, opening the back door. She lifted the three year old out of the car while Will reached into the back to get Henry out. Hotch stood and walked down the steps to help the guys with the boy's stuff. He met Cooper at the trunk and took one of the duffels from him. Cooper smiled and thanked him.

* * *

Dave and Hotch were standing by the barbecue, cooking lunch. Hotch burst into laughter at Dave's outlandish story. "You two want a beer?" Cooper asked. Hotch looked at Dave, who tipped his head, and he nodded. "Sure," he replied, taking the drink. Cooper smiled and nodded.

"So how's working for DC Metro going for you?" Dave asked Cooper. He just smiled and nodded. "It's good. It's not as stressful as NYPD but it's good," he said. Hotch nodded and cleared his throat. He had to try this. "How's Sammy settling in DC?" he asked. Cooper grinned and looked over at Emily playing with Sammy by the water. "He really loves it. And Emily's great with him. She's taken him to all of the museums and zoos. She's incredible," he said quietly. Hotch and Dave followed his gaze and Dave nodded. "She sure is," he sighed.

Sammy was drooling on Emily's chest. Cooper squeezed her shoulder and whispered in her ear. Emily shook her head and Cooper leant over and kissed Sammy's hair. Emily smiled and stood up. Cooper turned to watch her walk into the house. He turned back and saw Hotch's face as he looked after Emily.

He huffed and Hotch met his gaze. Hotch froze. But Cooper just nodded and smiled. He knew. But he wasn't angry. He just looked like he understood. Hotch returned the nod and Cooper turned back to talk to JJ.

Cooper was trying to listen to JJ, but all that was running through his mind was Hotch. He knew that their team was close. And he knew there had always been a close friendship between Emily and Hotch. But the way that man just looked at his wife… it was more. Cooper shook his head. He trusted Emily. And he knew Hotch wasn't the kind of man to do something. So in those moments and in those nods, they reached an agreement. And that was more than enough for Cooper.

Emily returned to the table and sat back down. Cooper ran his hand over her shoulder and she pat his knee. He didn't have to worry. Emily loved him too.

* * *

A/N: This chapter is SO LONG! It took me forever to write. And it's now 1:30 am and I've just finished it. So relieved!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I just wanted to make sure people understood what that last chapter was about. I didn't mean for it to seem like Emily was being fought over by Hotch and Cooper. I just wanted to show how that weekend helped Hotch to move past his feelings for Emily and stop moping about like a wounded puppy, and realize that he would lose her friendship if he continued to act that way. The "agreement" Cooper believed they'd reached was one where he understood that Hotch had developed feelings for Emily before he showed up, but that Hotch accepted the way things really were.

This is another additional chapter I hadn't written in the original story, so it's just a short look at how differently Hotch is acting now. My aim here is to show Hotch in a more understanding place, where he's accepted the way things are and is trying to just be a good friend to Emily. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

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Emily tapped on Hotch's door. When he looked up, she stepped inside. "I'm just heading out for coffee, you want anything?" she asked. Hotch nodded and was about to ask her to get him a latte when he stood up. "Yeah, but I think I'll come with you. I could use a break," he said. "I'll say you can," Emily muttered. Hotch looked up at her and smirked. "What was that Agent Prentiss?" he asked, folding his arms. Emily bit her lip and shook her head. "Nothing… sir," she replied. Hotch huffed and followed her out of his office.

Emily smiled as the warm afternoon sun hit her face. Hotch looked over and saw the look of contentment. "So how are things with you Hotch?" she asked. Hotch shrugged. "As well as could be expected," he responded dryly. Emily wrinkled her brow and looked at him. "That's a little melancholy don't you think?" she asked. Hotch sighed and raised his eyebrows, "I get to see Jack this weekend so maybe if you ask me on Monday, my answer will be a little more optimistic," he retorted. Emily chuckled and nodded.

Hotch turned to her and smiled. "And how are things with you?" he asked. Emily shrugged. "Things are good. My mother is in town for a week and is over every day to spend time with Sammy," she explained. Hotch nodded and smiled. "And Cooper? I hear he got a promotion…" Hotch's voice trailed off. He was getting better at this friendship thing. Emily smiled. "Yeah, he did. He's got his own four-person team and they mostly work homicide," she explained. "He's a good guy Emily," Hotch said quietly. Emily nodded and smiled. "He sure is," she replied.

Emily stepped through the door that Hotch had opened and thanked him. They walked to the register, placed their order, then stood to the side to wait. Emily folded her arms. She wasn't sure what else to talk about. But her concern was quickly alleviated when Hotch cleared his throat.

"So how is your mother doing? Last I heard she took a locum position in Germany," he said. Emily nodded. "She did. And she loved it. Now she's just biding her time until she gets another assignment," Emily answered. "Have you ever travelled Hotch?" she asked. Hotch huffed and shook his head. "Nope. Not unless you count going to Mexico for a case," he said.

Emily chuckled and shook her head. "No. That doesn't count. I meant a vacation," she replied. Hotch shook his head. "Then no. Never. But I've always wanted to go to Europe… anywhere really. Or Africa," he said. Emily smiled, thinking back to the trip she and her family made to South Africa and Zimbabwe when she was younger. "Africa is beautiful. I love Cape Town and Durban, and Victoria Falls. My god… it's gorgeous," she sighed. Hotch chuckled.

"What's the greatest place you've travelled to?" he asked. Emily thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alabama," she said. Hotch laughed. Outright, belly-laughter. "You're kidding?" he asked. Emily shook her head. "It's where my mother's parents live. And I didn't get to see them much when I was growing up so… my favourite place in the world is still the porch of my grandparent's house, drinking iced tea, eating peach cobbler, and watching the sun set. It's magical," she sighed. Hotch smiled.

The barista called out their order and Emily took the tray of coffees while Hotch grabbed the sugars. As they made their way through the doors and out onto the path, Emily turned to Hotch and smiled. "This was fun," she said. Hotch smiled and nodded. "It's good to get out isn't it," he sighed. They were silent for a few moments before Emily turned to Hotch. "You and Jack should come around for dinner one night. I know the boys would love to play together and it would give you a chance to get to know Cooper a bit more," she suggested. Hotch pondered for a moment before nodding "Sounds good. I'll bring the peach cobbler," he joked. Emily huffed and followed him into the office building.

* * *

A/N: This will be the last additional chapter before I return to the story that I had written originally. Just a warning, the next chapter is a little sad. Ok... maybe alot sad.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Bit of drama. For all of those who've been asking certain questions this chapter should answer your questions. Or at least a few of them. At this point Cooper and Emily have been together for a year, married for a couple of months.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

* * *

Cooper woke up and answered the phone. "Cooper," he said. "Hi Cooper, it's JJ. Is Emily there?" Cooper said yes and leant over. He gently woke her up. "Honey, JJ's on the phone." Emily sat up and took the phone. "JJ?" she said as Cooper rubbed her back. JJ told her that they had a case. "We're meeting in the office in an hour. Bring your go-bag." The women said goodbye and Emily got out of bed. "Looks like it's gonna be a long one. I'm sorry honey." Cooper rubbed her arm. "It's alright." Emily showered and dressed.

She walked into Sammy's room and kissed the little boy. Then she walked downstairs. Cooper handed her a cup of coffee and she hugged him. "I love you," she said. "I love you too. Stay safe," he said. He walked her to the door and they kissed. Just after he closed the door he heard a knock. He smiled as he opened it. "What'd you forget?" he asked. "Happy anniversary honey!" Emily said, kissing him passionately. Cooper smiled. "I'm so sorry," Emily cried out. Cooper chuckled. "It's alright. We'll celebrate when you get home." They kissed again before Emily walked back down the hall.

* * *

The team had closed the case in New Mexico, but were waiting til the next day to return to DC. They decided to go to a local Japanese restaurant for dinner to wind down. They were talking and laughing while they ate, generally having a good time. Emily's phone rang and she reached into her bag. "Prentiss," she said. "Sorry, I can't hear you. Just give me a minute…" she said, standing up and walking out the door.

"That's better. Sorry, who did you say it was?" Emily asked again. "It's Chris," the caller said. Chris was Cooper's new team-mate at MPD. "Hey, what's going on Chris?" Emily asked brightly. "Emily, I don't really know how to tell you this," Chris paused. "Chris," Emily probed, concern starting to seep into her mind. "Emily, Cooper's been shot." She was shocked, to say the least. At first, Emily didn't know what to do.

She stood there for a moment, silent. She sat on the step of the restaurant and broke down. Chris couldn't stand to hear her cry over the phone. It was breaking his heart. "Emily, I'm so sorry," Chris said, wishing he hadn't had to tell her over the phone. But with her gone for God only knows how long, it was all he could do. "Where's Sammy?" she asked. Chris said that Gloria had flown to DC and was at their house. Emily stammered. "I uh, I have to go. We've closed the case. I'll see if I can get a flight back tonight," Emily explained. Chris said goodbye and hung up. Emily sat on the steps for a moment, broke down and put her head in her hands. Her husband was hurt, in what condition Emily didn't know. And she was at least 4 hours flight time away. Emily rolled her eyes. Crying on the steps of a restaurant wasn't going to get her home any sooner. When she gathered herself, Emily walked back inside.

When she got to the table the others looked up. "Emily you ok?" Morgan asked. She shook her head and took a moment. "I uh. I need to get back to DC." Hotch frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Cooper's been shot. I need to get back," Emily explained. "I can just catch a flight back," she said. The team stood up. "No, we'll all go back together," Hotch said. He paid the bill and they left.

"I'll call the airport and let them know we're coming. Wheels up in 30," JJ said as they quickly returned to the hotel. Everyone met in the foyer 20 minutes later. On the flight back, Emily sat by the window and stayed silent. "Did you call the hospital?" Rossi asked Hotch. He nodded. "They said it doesn't look good." Rossi shook his head and looked over at Emily. "And Sammy?" he asked. "Cooper's partner Chris said he's at home with Cooper's mom. They haven't told him anything yet. They wanted to wait until Emily came home," Hotch explained.

* * *

When the jet landed there was a car waiting to take Emily and JJ to the hospital. When the car had left the runway the rest of the team got into the second SUV to go back to Quantico. Emily and JJ arrived at the hospital and quickly made their way upstairs. Chris was waiting for them. "Emily," Chris said, embracing her. JJ put her hand on Emily's back as they walked towards the chairs.

"What's going on Chris?" JJ asked. "They're still in surgery. They hopefully won't be too much longer," he explained. JJ nodded. "And Sammy?" Emily asked. "He's at home with Gloria." Chris stood up. "I'm gonna go grab a coffee. Do you need anything?" he asked. "A cup of tea?" Emily asked. Chris nodded and headed down the hall. When he returned he handed Emily the mug and sat next to her.

A few moments later the surgeon walked towards them. "Mrs Cooper?" he asked. Emily nodded. "I'm so sorry but…" he didn't have to finish the sentence. Emily knew. She gasped before breaking down. Emily fell to the floor, weeping, and JJ held her.

"We tried but he lost too much blood." The surgeon pulled Chris to the side. "When she's ready she can go in and say goodbye." Chris nodded. "I'll make arrangements for someone to pick him up in the morning." The two men shook hands and Chris turned back to Emily and JJ.

Emily was weeping and her friend was trying to console her. Chris made his way over and knelt beside Emily. "Em, the doctor said you can have a few minutes if you want," he said quietly. Emily looked up and wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded. "I do. I want to," she whispered. JJ nodded and told Chris she'd take her in. Chris nodded and gave Emily a hug goodbye, then left down the hall. JJ glanced back at him and saw him punch a wall and slide to the floor. She wished one of the guys had been here to help him out. She knew from Will's experience, and that of her own, that partners were like brothers and sisters. She wished there was someone there to console Chris.

Emily opened the door slowly and assured JJ she'd be ok. JJ nodded and watched Emily walk through the door.

Emily walked slowly to the side of Cooper's bed. He was so still, she could've sworn he was just sleeping. She made her way over and touched his arm, withdrawing it immediately. He was so cold. She felt the tears start to fall down her eyes. Without thinking she dropped her head down next to his and cried for him. "I love you Cooper," she whispered. She kissed his forehead and ran her fingers through his hair. She reached down to his left hand and slipped his ring from his finger, clutching it in her hand. She squeezed his hand one more time, the shock still sinking in. He was gone.

JJ drove her home, constantly turning to check on her friend. The whole drive home, Emily was silent. JJ didn't know what to say. What can you say? Her closest friend had just lost her husband. What words can help someone going through such a horrible experience? So instead of trying to figure out what to say, JJ just stayed silent, offering her support through her actions.

They walked into the apartment and saw Gloria and Sammy asleep on the couch. "Do you want me to stay?" JJ asked her friend. Emily shook her head. "Uh, it's late. You should get home. I'm sorry," Emily said. "Sorry for what?" JJ asked, rubbing Emily's back. Emily shook her head. She couldn't explain what she was feeling or thinking. But JJ had just offered her support without asking anything in return. And Emily was so grateful. "Thanks for tonight," Emily said. "It's ok. That's what I'm here for," JJ said before walking back towards the door. Emily closed the door and walked back to the lounge. She sat in the armchair and closed her eyes.

* * *

There was a knock at the door. Hotch looked up from his desk and watched JJ come in. "What happened?" Hotch asked, standing up. JJ shook her head. "He didn't make it." She explained "I spoke to Chris and he's going to organize for someone to take Cooper to the morgue. Cooper had everything organized. And paid for." Hotch nodded. "Ok. Thanks JJ." Hotch frowned. "Is she alright?" he asked. "About as much as you'd expect." Hotch nodded and sat back at his desk. JJ walked back into the bull-pen and over to the elevator. Hotch sat back in his chair and sighed.

* * *

A/N: This was such an emotional chapter! And don't worry, Hotch isn't going to offer her sex as a way to help her grieve. In this story Emily truly loved Cooper. So it's not _that _kind of support he offers. Just keep reading to find out. Please read and review.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: This chapter was actually only a few hundred words. But after re-reading it I decided to add a bit more in the beginning, middle, and end. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

* * *

Emily was frozen in her seat. She couldn't get out of the car. Getting out meant accepting what was happening. She wasn't ready. Gloria had taken Sammy inside and Emily's parents had both been out to see her. But she was stuck. She couldn't move. She didn't want it to be true and if she refused to move then maybe she could just pretend for awhile.

Hotch and JJ were walking up the driveway towards the front door of the funeral home. JJ saw Emily, sitting in the car alone, and pointed. Hotch turned and frowned. This couldn't be easy for her. He told JJ he'd take care of her and meet her inside. JJ nodded and watched as Hotch made his way over to the car.

Emily looked up when she heard Hotch walking across the gravel driveway. A tear slipped down her cheek when she realized she didn't want anyone to see her like this. Especially not him. She was strong and independent and hated that her boss, her colleague, her friend, was seeing her this vulnerable. She reached up to wipe her eyes and forced a tight smile by the time he reached the car.

Hotch watched Emily wipe her face and paste on a fake smile. He smiled sadly, trying to help her carry on the charade. It was the least he could do. He knelt beside the car, not caring about the dirt now gathering on the knees of his black suit. Emily sniffed and sat up straight.

"Hi," she said, her voice wavering. Hotch reached up and squeezed her hand. "You ok?" he asked. Emily shrugged… she paused… she shook her head. "No," she whimpered, "I'm not ok. I'm here to… to… to say goodbye and I don't want to," she said quietly. Hotch just stayed there, holding her hand. "You take all the time you need. I'll be here when you're ready to go in," he assured her.

Emily nodded and smiled sadly. "This is pathetic," she mumbled. Hotch wrinkled his brow and shook his head. "It's not pathetic Emily. You… you lost someone you love. This is natural," he assured her. Emily shook her head. "I'm an FBI agent who sees death all the time," she exclaimed. Hotch huffed and nodded. "You do. But it's different when it's someone you love," he said quietly.

Emily nodded and sniffed. "I think I'm ready," she whispered. Hotch squeezed her hand and reached in the get the keys out of the ignition. Then he stood up and brushed the gravel from his knees, before helping Emily out of the car. Then he walked her into the home, his hand on her shoulder the only support he could think to give.

* * *

"We're here today to celebrate the life of Detective Max Cooper. Husband, father, son, partner, and friend," the minister started. Emily sat in the front row, with Gloria, Jack, Stephen, and Chris. It still hadn't quite sunk in yet. For the past week, she woke up in the middle of the night and was shocked to find Cooper's side of the bed empty. Then it would hit her and she'd break down instantly. Gloria had come in every time, trying to help her to settle. But it wasn't the same. Emily just wanted her husband back. She just wanted him back.

As the service continued, JJ leant forward and put her hand on Emily's shoulder. Emily's shoulders relaxed at the contact. She needed to know that her friends were there and with JJ's simple gesture, she had that. Emily ran her fingers through Sammy's hair and kissed the top of his head. This little boy still didn't understand that Daddy wasn't coming home. Each morning, he would sit at the table and ask Emily where Daddy was. But the only answer she could give him was "Gone."

Chris reached around Gloria and touched Emily's other shoulder. He had been Cooper's partner when he first came to DC, and was on his team before he died. He had been around Emily and Cooper and had seen how much they loved each other. As much as his own heart was breaking over the loss of a colleague and great friend, he couldn't imagine what Emily was going through. He only hoped she would let him help her through it.

Chris stood when the minister called him up. It was his turn. He made his way up to the pulpit and pulled the piece of paper from his jacket pocket. "Cooper was an action man. He was an avid sportsman in school and college, a high-flying officer during his service, and a good cop. Of these things, I'm sure you're all aware. He lived for his family. For his mother, Gloria: the woman who gave him life. For his son, Sammy: the boy he gave life to and the same one he would have given his life for. And for his wife, Emily: who he would never be able to live without." Chris paused and looked down at Emily. JJ was squeezing her friend's shoulder and Emily had buried her face in Sammy's hair.

Chris took a deep breath and continued. "I know that Cooper wouldn't want us to be sad. He gave his life in the line of his job and he would want us to be proud, and to celebrate the life that he had. He would want us to be with our families, and to feel safe in the knowledge that we have each other. And he would want us to be happy. Cooper, wherever you are buddy, thank you for sharing your life with each of us. To finish in the words of Hemingway

_Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another._"

Chris shook hands with the minister and made his way back to his seat. Emily reached across and squeezed his hand, mouthing "thank-you."

* * *

After the burial, the family had arranged an afternoon tea in the hall, looking out over the garden.

Emily walked out into the garden and stood in the sun, appreciating the time to herself. She looked down at the water, the ducks swimming and birds flying through the sky. She turned when she heard him call out. "Mommy!" Sammy said, walking towards her with Morgan. When they reached her Emily picked Sammy up and held him tight. "How you goin buddy?" she asked her son. Sammy wriggled out of Emily's arms and ran down to the water, chasing the ducks. Morgan put his arm around Emily's shoulder and she leant on him.

"How you going?" Morgan asked her. Emily paused for a moment. "I'm dealing with it." Morgan smiled as he watched Sammy throwing pebbles in the water. "How's he going?" Morgan asked. "He kind of understands but he still comes running into our room asking where Daddy is." Emily broke down and buried her face in Morgan's shoulder. He put his arms around her and held her close. "Emily," he said, brushing her hair, "Everything's gonna be alright." Sammy came running towards them. Emily picked him up and hugged him tight. "How bout we go inside?" Morgan said. Emily nodded and the three of them started walking back towards the hall.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: After reading the reviews, I'm sorry. I have to make sure people get that it's an H/P story so it's inevitable that the outcome is likely to be the same as any other H/P story. Also, as sad as it was to see Cooper die, it's not like Emily is going to bury her husband and suddenly fall in love with Hotch. I wrote this a LONG time ago when I was starting to write so it's not perfect. But I'm glad y'all are giving it a go.

This chapter comes a little bit after the funeral. So just understand that much. The first line pretty much explains where. Ok please read and review. Oh and for those who are wondering, in this story, when they got married, Emily adopted Sammy, so he's legally her son. I just didn't mention that in any of the previous chapters. Ok, enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

* * *

It had been three weeks since the funeral. Emily had taken the time off to get used to life as a single mom. She was in the kitchen, making lunch. Sammy was in the lounge room, playing with his cars. Emily looked over and watched her son playing. She smiled.

"Sammy, let's wash up, lunch is ready." Sammy stood and ran to Emily. She picked him up and sat him on the bench near the sink. He leaned over as she put soap on his tiny hands and put them under the warm water, then she took his small chubby hands and dried them with a dish towel. Sammy put his hands around Emily's neck as she carried him and his sandwich over to the dining table. While they ate, Sammy chattered about driving his cars and being excited to grow "big and stuff," so he could drive cars for real! Emily just nodded and smiled and answered in the appropriate places, giddy inside as she became privy to the inner workings of a three year old boy.

After they'd finished lunch, she thought they'd go for a visit to the BAU. She had some reports from before that she still needed to finish and it would give her a chance to get out of the apartment. She got him dressed and into the car.

Emily pulled the car into her usual spot and helped Sammy out of his seat. They made their way up in the elevator and into the foyer. As she opened the door to the BAU and walked through with Sammy, Morgan looked up from his desk.

"Emily," he said as he stood up. Hotch heard her name and stood to walk out and meet her. Morgan walked over and hugged Emily then picked Sammy up. "Hey little dude." Morgan said, holding his hand up for Sammy to hi-five. Reid came over and hugged Emily. "Mommy, can I have a drink please?" Emily nodded and pulled out a small bottle for Sammy as Hotch came down to join the team. "Emily," he said, nodding at her. When she saw him, Emily smiled. "So how is everything? No case?" she asked, surprised that the team was actually here.

"We just got back last night, Milwaukee." Hotch said. Emily nodded and smiled. "So what are you doing here? Aren't you on leave?" he asked. Emily nodded. "I just needed to get out of the house, and I thought I'd pick up some paperwork." She said, looking at the mountain of paper and files on her desk. JJ walked in and saw her.

"Emily," she called out. They hugged and JJ patted Sammy's head. "Did you call the number of that nanny?" she asked. Emily nodded. "Yeah, I called and we met up. I explained the situation and she said she'd be fine to do the whole last minute calls and couple of day jobs. And you're right, she's so nice," Emily explained. JJ smiled, "So when does she start?" she asked. "She'll start after Gloria leaves. She's going to spend a couple of weeks with Sammy when I come back to work. And I've got him a spot in a day-care. So it's all good. He starts there next week so I should be right to come back to work." Emily smiled. Hotch frowned when Emily said she'd be coming back so soon. He wasn't sure that it would be alright. She needed this time to get used to her life as it was now, her life without Cooper. He shook his head, breaking from his reverie and joined in on the conversation.

Emily stayed and chatted for about a half hour before Sammy started to yawn. Morgan chuckled and Emily reached up to run her fingers through his hair. "I think someone needs his nap soon," she cooed. Sammy nodded and threw himself into Emily's arms. Emily said goodbye to the others and promised to meet up with JJ and Garcia later that week, before she turned and walked towards the elevator. Hotch followed.

He put his hand on her shoulder and she turned. "Emily, if you need to take some more time before coming back..." his voice trailed off. Emily put her spare hand and looked over at Sammy. She shook her head. "I'm fine. Really. I'm actually looking forward to coming back. I need the distraction. And everything's set up. Sammy's taken care of." Hotch nodded. He asked her how she was coping with everything. She looked at Sammy, then turned back to Hotch, lowering her voice a little as Sammy leant his head on her shoulder.

"It really just hit me last week when I was in the grocery store. Sammy was in the cart and he pointed to the shaving cream and said that Daddy needed some for when he came home. I kind of broke down in the middle of the market," she explained, tears in her eyes. Hotch reached up and squeezed her shoulder in support. Emily smiled and shrugged, "But we're doing better now. We're both adjusting." Hotch nodded as Emily pressed the button for the elevator. Hotch cleared his throat and nodded. "Ok, well I guess I'll see you next week." He looked over and said goodbye to Sammy. Hotch stood back and watched as Emily and Sammy got into the elevator. She looked down at him and pointed at the button. Sammy pressed it and as the doors closed, they waved at Hotch. He smiled and paused before turning to head back to his office.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: The start of this chapter was alright, but I'm not 100% sure about the last segment. My idea was basically to show that Emily missed Cooper, even with all of her friends around. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

* * *

Emily looked at Sammy, still sleeping. It was 6am and it was her first day back at work. She walked into his room and knelt next to his bed. Leaning over she gave him a kiss on the cheek. He stirred but didn't wake. She just knelt next to his bed, wanting him to sleep but also wanting to wake him up and tell him she loved him. She settled for just whispering it in his ear and running her fingers through his hair. She brushed the hair from his face and stood up to leave.

"I love you Mommy," he said quietly. Emily turned and felt the tears start to build up, "I love you too sweetheart," she whispered. As she closed the door, she smiled. Hannah was standing in the kitchen. "Thanks for this Hannah," she said. Hannah nodded and followed as Emily said goodbye to her and walked towards the door. She said she'd call if they got a case.

* * *

Emily stopped at the cafe on the way to pick up a coffee. She'd finished ordering and turned to wait over near the end of the bench. She pulled a book from her briefcase and leant against the window. She was partway through the first page of the new chapter when...

She felt a tap on her shoulder. When she turned Morgan was standing there. "Vonnegut," she said, holding up the book. Morgan smiled. "First day back?" Morgan said, pointing to the briefcase. Prentiss nodded. "Sammy's first day at his new day-care too. Though I have a suspicion he's more excited than me," she said, picking up her coffee from the bench.

She thanked the barista as she and Morgan walked out the door. They walked to the office together and made their way through the doors. They had just put their bags down at their desks when JJ came through the room, moving quickly towards the BAU room.

"Hi guys, hey Emily, sorry for the short welcome, but we've got a case." JJ said, walking up the stairs to the landing.

When the team had walked into the BAU room and sat at the table, JJ explained the case, in Sarasota Florida. The team was headed straight there, wheels up in forty. It gave Prentiss enough time to call Hannah and let her know.

"Can you put him on the phone?" she asked, while taking her seat on the jet. "Hey sweetheart. Now be good for Hannah. Grandma is coming over tonight to take care of you while I'm gone, ok? I love you Sammy."

As she was talking to him, Hotch walked over and sat across from her. She said goodbye to Hannah and hung up. "Everything ok?" Hotch asked. Prentiss nodded and looked up at Hotch. "It will be. Just tough the first time. Thank God for grandmas." Hotch smiled.

* * *

The team had just closed the case in Florida. They were heading back to DC in the morning and had decided to head out for a drink before going back to the hotel. Morgan had already found someone to dance with so the rest of the team sat down in a booth. Reid was squished in the middle, with JJ and Emily on either side. Rossi sat next to JJ and Hotch next to Emily.

As Hotch squeezed into the seat next to Emily his hand grazed hers. She smiled as she looked down and shuffled over a little more. He shifted, trying to get comfortable and put his hand on the back of the seat. After one drink, Emily said she was going to call it a night. Hotch said he'd walk back to the hotel with her. He wanted to check in with her and make sure she was handling the workload and motherhood.

"So how you going?" Hotch asked her as they made their way down the street. Emily looked at her feet and nodded. "Separation anxieties," she answered. Hotch laughed. "Yeah, I have no solution for that. It gets easier as you go along." He put his hands in his pockets and looked over at Emily as they continued walking.

"I know I've already told you this, but I thought I'd remind you. If you need anything, you know you can call me right?" he asked. Emily nodded. "Maybe we can play-date one weekend when you've got Jack," she teased, "Or maybe you can give me some parenting advice. I mean, I was still adjusting to the whole "you're a wife" thing. Then all of a sudden I'm a single-mom."

Hotch pat Emily's back, "Like I said, it gets easier as you go along." Emily nodded and smiled. They walked into the hotel and over towards the elevator. Hotch looked over at Emily and smiled. "He really loved you." Emily nodded. "The feeling was very mutual." They stepped off the elevator and Hotch walked Emily to her room. She opened the door and said goodnight. He leant on the wall with his hands in his pockets. "Goodnight Emily."

As she walked through the door and into her room, Emily couldn't get the picture of Cooper and Sammy out of her head. The tears started to slip out of her eyes and her heart broke as she was reminded of how much she missed him.

She whimpered as she fell to the floor and began to cry. "Cooper, why did you leave me?" she whispered. Hotch was standing on the other side of the door and touched it with his palm. He waited then turned down the hall and headed into his room.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Bit of fun. This is another chapter that wasn't in the original but I felt like I needed a bit more time between funeral/post-funeral and other stuff. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

* * *

Emily opened the door and grinned. "Girls! Hi!" she cried out, stepping back in the doorway to let Garcia and JJ in. The three girls exchanged hugs and Emily led them down the hall to the kitchen. "Ok, so who wants a drink? Sammy's hanging out with the boys so it's girl only tonight," she said brightly. JJ nodded. "A drink sounds awesome!" she replied, supported in her enthusiasm by Garcia's animated nod.

Emily mixed up the margheritas while the girls chatted about a new boutique that Garcia saw opening in Georgetown. They all agreed that a shopping trip was a must the next time they had a chance. They grabbed their drinks and Emily took them to the living room to sit down and wait for the pizza to arrive.

"So Em, you seeing anyone?" Garcia asked outright. Emily almost choked on her drink and started coughing. JJ reached over to rub her back, simultaneously shooting a glare at her other friend. "Sorry, I just thought, it's a girls night. What's a girls night without a little gossip?" she pondered out loud. Emily thanked JJ and sat up again. "You ok?" JJ asked. Emily smiled and nodded, clearing her throat before she looked at Garcia.

"For your information, I'm going on a date tomorrow night. He's an old friend from California and he's here for a conference," she explained. JJ raised her eyebrows and put her glass on the table. "You're going on a date?" she asked, shooting a worried look to Garcia before looking at Emily again, "Are you sure you're ready?" Emily shrugged. "I don't know. But… that's kind of why I'm going out with Craig. To see if I _am _ready. If I'm not, it's just two old friends catching up over a meal. If I am, it's not like either of us is interested in dating someone from the opposite coast so it's not a big deal," she explained. The girls nodded in assent to her plan and Emily sat back in satisfaction.

She took a sip of her drink before turning to JJ. "So, any plans to become Mrs. La Montagne?" she teased. JJ's jaw dropped and Garcia burst out laughing. "Uh… um… not that I know of," she replied, blushing. The girls joked and teased each other, and Emily told the others about her "old friend." The pizza came and Emily stood to get the door. She returned a few minutes later with the food and a much lighter wallet. Then they sat down for a movie. Classic, chick flick. "How to Marry a Millionaire."

* * *

Hotch looked up from the poker table when he heard the laughter. He glanced into the lounge room and smiled at Sammy and Jack playing together. It was clear they were enjoying having someone else around their own age to play with. Both of them were only children and, even thought Jack had Henry around now, he was still a baby so the Hotchner kid was glad to have a three-year old to play trucks with. Hotch thought he might have to ask Emily if she'd mind if the two boys could spend more time together. He's ask her tomorrow when he dropped Sammy back at Emily's.

Morgan cleared his throat and Hotch was broken from his thoughts. "Your turn to deal Hotch," Rossi said. Hotch raised his eyebrows and nodded. He quickly dealt up the cards and looked at his pile of pretzels. According to Emily and JJ, it wouldn't be right to play "real" poker with the boys around, so the "chips" were replaced with pretzels and the beer and cigars replaced with orange juice and… pretzels. Hotch had huffed when Emily suggested that their snack be the same food item as their bets, but she had also pointed out that it was the only snack food Hotch kept in the house. So he'd conceded. JJ had chuckled at Hotch folding so easily. "Hope you're not as lousy as cards as you are at arguing off the clock," she teased. Hotch rolled his eyes and was about to protest her observation, but didn't see the point. Two women against one man. And those two women had guns. He wasn't stupid.

Hotch picked up his hand and groaned inwardly. He was down to two pretzels. And this hand wasn't going to help him at all. He threw his cards down on the table and stood. "I'm folding. I'll be back for the next hand," he said, heading down the hall towards the bathroom. "You can't fold out of turn Hotch!" Reid called out after him.

* * *

"The silicon chip inside her head, Gets switched to overload," Emily sang along to her music as she did the laundry. She pulled the clothes out of the washer and threw them in the dryer, switching the timer on, before getting ready to throw the next load in. Just as she spun around to get the iron out of the cupboard, she saw Hotch, Sammy, and Jack standing in the hallway, watching her in awe.

Emily squealed and held her hand on her heart. She pulled the buds out of her ears and took a deep breath. "My god! You scared me!" she cried out. Hotch chuckled and looked down at the boys. Their mouths were wide open, not quite sure of Emily's dancing. And honestly, neither was Hotch. He didn't think the Boomtown Rats was really something Emily would be into, but she'd always been a bit of a mystery.

Hotch cleared his throat and smiled. "Uh, hi. Sorry. I just used the key you gave me for emergencies. You… you didn't answer," he explained, "And now I know why." Emily smiled and nodded, putting the iron on top of the washer. "Sorry. I like to listen to music when I'm doing laundry. Makes it less of a chore," she explained.

She looked down at the boys, standing on either side of Hotch and smiling. Emily walked over and knelt in front of Sammy. "Did you have fun with the boys?" she asked. Sammy nodded and started chattering about trucks and Simba and poker. Emily smiled and looked up at Hotch. "Wow. Thanks Hotch for introducing my son to gambling," she said sarcastically. Hotch rolled his eyes. "Wasn't really gambling. Thanks to _someone _all we did was bet with pretzels," he replied. Emily shook her head and turned to say hello to Jack.

Emily stood up and smiled awkwardly at Hotch. "Uh, can I get you guys a drink?" she asked. Hotch shook his head. "We really should be going. We're going to the zoo before I take Jack back to Hayley's," he explained. Emily smiled and nodded. "Ok. Well, thanks for looking after him last night," she said as she walked Jack and Hotch to the door. Hotch shook his head. "It was nothing. The boys had fun," he said. Emily smiled and nodded. "Great. I'm glad. Sammy doesn't really get to hang out with kids his own age except for kindy," she explained.

Hotch nodded and raised his eyebrows. "I was actually thinking about that last night. Even though I don't have Jack that often, maybe when I do, the boys could spend some time together," he suggested. Emily's face lit up and she nodded. "That sounds great. I mean," she nodded down to the boys, "If it's ok with them." Hotch huffed. "Of course."

He knelt down and put his hand on Jack's shoulder. "Hey buddy, you wanna hang out with Sammy again sometime soon?" he asked. Jack nodded excitedly. Emily turned to Sammy. "What about you buddy? You wanna hang out with Jack again soon?" she asked. Sammy nodded. "Ok. I guess that's a go ahead," Hotch said, looking over at Emily. She nodded and smiled. "Great," she said, standing up and picking Sammy up. Hotch copied her gesture and picked Jack up.

He held out Sammy's bag and handed it to Emily. "Thanks again Hotch. I really appreciate it," Emily said again. Hotch waved his hand. "It was fine. We had fun," he said, smiling at Sammy. Emily grinned and Hotch turned to her. "Did you have fun?" he asked. Emily raised her eyebrows and nodded. "Yeah, it was fun. We drank margherita's and watched girly movies and gossiped," she said. Hotch smiled and huffed. "Gossip hey? Anything I should know?" he asked, raising his brow. Emily smiled suspiciously and shook her head. "Not yet," she replied.

Hotch wrinkled his brow and smiled, then nodded as he turned towards the door. "Ok, just keep me up to date," he joked. Emily chuckled and nodded. "Alright. Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning," she said, opening the door. Hotch nodded. "Bye Emily… and bye Sammy," he said. Emily smiled and stood in the doorway watching Hotch and Jack walk towards the elevator. "Bye Hotch and Jack. Say bye Sammy," Emily said. Sammy waved. "Bye Hotch. Bye Jack!" he called after them. When they'd stepped into the elevator, Emily turned and walked back into the apartment, putting Sammy on the floor. He ran over to the lounge room and started going through his toys, picking out the ones he wanted to take next time he hung out with Jack and Hotch.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I'm actually changing this story so much from the original. This is yet another chapter I hadn't intended to write but I still thought we needed one more chapter before I started to mix it up. This chapter is set a couple of weeks after the girls/guys night. It's just a short piece to show that Hotch's feelings haven't truly disappeared and that Emily's are starting to pop up, though she doesn't really have a name for them. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

* * *

Emily nodded nervously on the door and stood back to wait. She felt Sammy squeeze her hand and she looked down at him and smiled. He was practically beaming, excited to spend some time with his new friend. But he didn't realize this was such a big step for his Mom.

She wasn't quite sure why she was nervous. She just had that jumpy feeling in the pit of her stomach the moment she and Sammy stepped out of the car. But she put it down to just seeing him outside of the office, nothing more. She hadn't really spent all that much "personal" time with Hotch so this was an aberration. And she wasn't sure why it made her nervous. After her failed attempt at dating with Craig, she knew she wasn't ready for a new relationship, so maybe she just wanted some uncomplicated friendship from a man. Someone with which she could spend some time and just have an adult conversation. Mind you, she was just dropping Sammy off for the play-date, so that she could get some much-needed "shopping, hair-cut, eyebrow wax" personal time to herself. So the adult conversation was just a few minutes.

In any case, she was glad to have a friend with a kid around the same age so that Sammy wasn't so lonely. Apart from kindergarten, he didn't really get to spend time with kids his own age. And he missed out on a lot because of her work, because, if she didn't know and trust the parents, she wasn't about to send her kid off to play with them. But she definitely knew and absolutely trusted Hotch with her son. Hell she trusted him with her life on a daily basis so Sammy's life, she knew he was safe too.

Emily was broken from her thoughts at the scratching of the chain on the door. She looked up and saw Hotch open it with a smile. An honest to God smile. And she automatically smiled back. It was hard not to. "Hey. Come on in," he said brightly, stepping back in the door to let Emily and Sammy in. Emily smiled as she walked past, Sammy running in before her and joining Jack on the floor of the living room. "How are you Hotch?" Emily asked. Hotch shrugged and smiled. "I'm good. I've got my kid so I'm happy," he replied, "You excited about your day? Got big plans?" he asked, glancing over at the two boys before returning his gaze to Emily.

Emily nodded. "Yep. Big plans. Meeting up with the girls to go shopping… grocery shopping too. And then off to the hairdresser," she explained, "Thinking of going blonde… what do you think?" she teased. Hotch rolled his eyes. "I think we have enough blondes on the team Emily," he replied dryly. Emily chuckled. Hotch reached out to take Sammy's bag and Emily handed it over. "Thanks again for this Hotch. I appreciate it. And… if you ever need, you know I wouldn't hesitate to return the favour," she said quietly. Hotch smiled and nodded.

Emily knelt down where the boys were playing and ran her hand down Sammy's back. "Mommy's going now sweetie. Be a good boy for Aaron and Jack ok?" she said quietly. Hotch raised his eyebrows at her rather relaxed use of his given name. He liked it. He frowned and shook his head, clearing the thoughts running through his mind. _FRIENDS_, he kept telling himself. He looked back and smiled as Sammy stood and gave his Mom a tight hug. "Bye Mommy. Love you," he said brightly, before returning to the ramps he and Jack were building for their cars.

Emily smiled and stood. "I think I've been replaced as his favourite," she pouted. Hotch chuckled and pat her shoulder. "You're his Mom. And you're Emily Prentiss. I think it would be pretty tough to lose your top billing," he said quietly as he opened the door for her. Emily blushed and pat Hotch's arm. "Thanks again," she said. Hotch shook his head. "Not a problem. See you when you get back," he said. Emily nodded and walked down the hall. Hotch watched her leave then turned back to the boys setting up their "Mega Monster Truck Air Show" in the living room. He huffed and walked over to the dining table where he had set up his own "fun-place," with holiday leave request forms and cases that needed signing off. He sighed and got to work, the sounds of two entertained little boys filling his ears.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: And once again we skip forward another couple of months. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

* * *

Emily had invited Hotch over for dinner to hang out with her and Sammy. Sammy had been asking about him so she thought it was a good excuse, and though it was a Tuesday night and he didn't have Jack, Sammy was still excited to see the senior Hotchner man.

Emily liked hanging out with Hotch outside of work. They had similar interests and always had great conversations. And dating hadn't worked for her so far, so the idea of companionship and conversation suited her fine.

The smell of Chinese had filled the car. He stepped out and met Emily at her car, carrying the meal as they headed toward the apartment. As she opened the door and threw her keys on the bench, he dropped his briefcase on the floor and placed the food on the counter.

Emily called out for Sammy and Hannah. She walked into the laundry, releasing Milo from his room. He ran around Hotch's legs and jumped up. Hotch knelt down to pet him. Emily pulled out his bowl and filled it with kibble. She placed it on the floor, and Milo ran over and started eating. "I didn't realize you had a dog," he said. Emily nodded and smiled. "Sammy found him in the park when he was a puppy. He was just sitting there, under a tree. So we brought him home," she explained, patting Milo's head. She heard giggling coming from upstairs and smiled.

"They must be upstairs. I'll be back in a sec, make yourself at home." Emily said before making her way upstairs. When she reached the top she saw a light on in Sammy's room. She walked in and saw them sitting on the floor playing with blocks. "Mommy!" Sammy cried out when he saw her standing in the doorway. He ran up and hugged her leg. She knelt down and hugged him.

"Hi guys. Hannah, thanks so much for staying back," Emily said, running her hand over Sammy's hand. Hannah nodded as they walked down stairs.

* * *

Hotch had watched Emily walk up the stairs then stood in front of the shelves of books that lined her living room walls. She had everything from Greek classics to psychology to memoirs and autobiographies. The spines of the books were cracked and Hotch tried to figure out what her favourite scanned the books then looked over at the shelves filled with records. Ella, John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis and...Coltrane. Hotch smiled. He should've guessed.

He turned when he heard the patter of Sammy walking down the steps. Sammy ran over and Hotch picked him up and hugged him. "Did you see my new truck?" Sammy asked Hotch. He shook his hand and laughed as Sammy jumped out of his arms and dragged Hotch to where his toys were.

Hannah said goodnight as she left. Emily walked into the kitchen and grabbed plates from the cupboard while Sammy entertained Hotch. He seemed really relaxed as he lay on the ground, playing with the trucks. Emily carried the food and plates over and sat on the floor near the coffee table. Hotch and Sammy sat up and moved near the table.

"Do you wanna watch TV? Or listen to some music? I just got a new vinyl from this great little place on Fifth." Prentiss asked. "Sure, music sounds great." Hotch replied as he climbed up and sat on the couch.

Prentiss put the music on and moved over to the couch, humming as she walked. Hotch was smiling as she sat next to Sammy and dished out some food for him. Through the windows, the view was spectacular and seemed to fit perfectly with the music, the food, the wine. Over dinner they laughed as they talked about their lives, about failed relationships and other mishaps.

Sammy sat and played with Milo then asked if they could watch a movie. "Do you mind?" Emily asked Hotch. He nodded and she put the Jungle Book on. Hotch smiled as Sammy sat in between him and Emily. Sammy put his head on her lap. Emily played with his dark curls.

During the movie, Hotch looked over at Emily and smiled when she and Sammy sang along to the lyrics. "Ooobie doobie do. I wanna walk like you...talk like you..." She'd really changed since becoming a mom.

There was something about seeing her like this that made him think about her in a different way. She was nurturing and caring towards her son and it reflected in the way she related to others. Prentiss was becoming more and more attractive to him. He quickly stopped this train of thought when he remembered who he was thinking about.

At the end of the film, Emily realised Sammy had fallen asleep. "I'm just gonna take him upstairs to bed. I'll be back soon." Emily said, picking Sammy up. Hotch said he needed to go to the bathroom. Emily said it was upstairs. She led him up and nodded down the hallway towards the bathroom.

"I won't be long," she said, kissing Sammy's head. She carried him into his room and gently lay him on the bed. She started taking his clothes off and putting his pajamas on. He lay down as she pulled the blanket up over him, then lay down next to him, patting his back.

Hotch had finished in the bathroom and stood in the hallway, watching Emily, asleep on the bed next to Sammy. He smiled before walking back downstairs. Emily came back down about twenty minutes later to find Hotch standing in front of the bookshelves, looking at the photos of Emily and Sammy with some other family and friends. Emily stood next to him.

"Sorry," she said, wiping the sleep from her eyes, "That wine went straight to my head." Hotch smiled. "It's alright, I can leave if you want." Emily shook her head. "It's alright, I like the company."

They were silent for awhile and Hotch needed to ask. "No photos of Cooper?" he asked. Emily looked at the shelves and picked up a small wooden box. "_This_ is Cooper," she said, walking over to the couch. She sat down and Hotch joined her, sitting close to her.

She opened up the box and showed Hotch some of the photos of the family and friends. "I didn't want to hide him but I knew that having photos of him everywhere wouldn't help me to deal with it. So this is our Cooper box. Sammy has one in his room too. I want him to remember how awesome his dad was." She sighed, "Every now and then I pull it out and look at him."

Emily pulled out a note. "He put this on my mirror one morning before I drove him to the airport." The note said _Leave the toilet seat up, it'll be like I never left. _Hotch smiled.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," Hotch said, looking at a photo of Cooper, "but have you dated since..." his voice trailed off. Emily nodded and Hotch raised his eyebrows. "You have?" he asked. "I went on a date with someone but it felt really weird. After that I decided to just try and focus on being a good mom and a good agent." Hotch nodded his head. "I'm open to it, if it happens. But I'm not going to go out of my way to look for it," she explained.

They talked for hours and looked through the photos, before realizing it was getting late. "Wow, look at the time. I should clean up," Prentiss said. "Let me help you. It's the least I can do," Hotch replied.

They cleared the plates and Prentiss began stacking them in the sink, joining the coffee pot from earlier this morning. As she turned around to return to the lounge, Hotch walked into the kitchen with the empty Chinese cartons, looking for a bin.

As they headed towards each other they smiled. When Prentiss returned to the kitchen with the glasses, Hotch was standing at the sink, filling it with hot water while he rolled up his sleeves. "You don't have to, really Hotch." Prentiss said.

"No, but I want to." He replied, smiling at her. Grabbing a tea-towel from the drawer, Prentiss started to wipe up the dishes, stacking them on the bench. "This has been fun." Hotch said.

Emily nodded as she smiled and looked across at the man, his hands in the sink. "I mean tonight. It's been a long time since I've just been able to relax and talk. Thank you." Emily smiled, "Thanks too, Hotch. It's been awhile since I've had an adult conversation that wasn't about psychosis or where to buy good quality kids shoes."

After they'd finished the washing up, Emily suggested they take a look at the files Hotch had brought with him. Hotch nodded and picked up his briefcase. As Emily poured some more wine they walked back to the lounge and looked over the files.

They sat in the lounge and worked through the paperwork. As they worked they had intermittent conversation about how tough it is to have a personal life and be an agent.

"I wish I knew the solution. But when there's danger involved and the countless nights spent away from home, I don't think there is an easy solution." Hotch said. Emily nodded.

Hotch leaned back in the lounge and looked out the window. "You have an incredible view here. It's great." Emily nodded. "Yeah, I'm lucky. I wanted to buy somewhere that I could look forward coming home to. I suppose I'm lucky it came with 3 bedrooms too...considering." She replied, her eyes looking out the window at the view.

Emily glanced up at the clock and raised her eyebrows. "Wow. It's 1am. Do you wanna crash? I have a spare room." Hotch smiled and nodded. "That's probably a good idea. I think I've had a little too much to drink." He replied, not wanting to go back to his empty apartment and more than happy to sleep in the same house as someone else, especially Emily.

They stood and took their wine glasses over to the kitchen. Walking towards the stairs, Emily turned lights off and said goodnight to Milo who was asleep on his bed in the lounge. She led Hotch up the stairs and into the spare room. It was a nice room, light green walls with a beautiful canopy bed.

"There's spare blankets in the cupboard if you get cold and there's a power-point next to the bed if you need to charge your cell. My room's just down the hall if you need anything."

"Thanks Prentiss." Hotch said as he watched her leave.

"It's Emily here Hotch." She said, smiling as she gently closed the door.

"Goodnight Emily." He said, looking at the door. He got changed and slipped under the covers.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: This is part two of "the sleepover." This is later that night/early morning. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

* * *

It was the about three AM when he heard a creaking. Hotch got out of bed and slowly opened the door. Looking down the hall he noticed a light shining up the stairs from the lower floor. He slowly made his way out and started down the stairs, holding his gun. As he moved towards the kitchen, the source of the light, he didn't make a sound. He peeked into the kitchen and saw her poking her head in the fridge. She was dressed in a white singlet and navy boxers. He moved towards her and leant on the bench.

"I'll have what you're having," he joked. She jumped and bumped her head on a shelf. Hotch laughed.

"What the hell...Hotch?" she said as she turned to face him, looking at him in his boxers and white t-shirt.

"Midnight snack?" he asked. She nodded, pulling out some chocolate cake.

"I couldn't sleep so I figured..." her voice trailed off. She looked at his hands, saw the piece and smiled. "You brought your gun?" then, gesturing with the cake, "Do you want some?" she asked. He nodded as he walked over to the drawers and pulled out two forks. She climbed up and sat on the bench. He handed her a fork before jumping onto the bench next to her. She held the plate between them and took a bite. As she put the fork in her mouth he reached up and put his hand under the plate, touching her hand lightly as he took a bite for himself.

"So..." she said. "Are you always such a light sleeper?"

"No," he replied, with a mouth still full of cake. He swallowed before continuing. "I just kept thinking I'd forgotten something. And when that happens, I never sleep very well."

"Does that happen alot?" she asked. He nodded. She smiled.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing. It's just, well. You have massive bags under your eyes. Not generally present on the faces of the well-rested." She reached up and gently rubbed her fingers over the bags under his eyes, proving her point.

He looked over at her, grinning. "Well, maybe I need to get back to bed." He said, leaning back on the bench. She looked over at him and smiled. He chuckled.

"What is it?" she asked frantically. "Do I have chocolate in my teeth?" she said, covering her mouth. He pushed her hand out of the way and wiped chocolate from the corner of her mouth. She blushed. "Thanks," she said timidly. "Well, that's it for the cake. Thanks for having a couple of bites so I don't feel like too much of a pig." She said as he jumped off the bench and put the plate in the sink. They moved towards the steps and made their way up towards the rooms. Hotch followed Emily. He watched as she moved up the stairs. He couldn't help but notice her legs. His eyes were glued to them. The way they moved, and the fact that it was like they didn't end. They just kept going.

"Goodnight Hotch." She said. He turned.

"Goodnight Emily." He replied as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. He pulled back and blushed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to do that." He said, clearly embarrassed. He looked her in the eyes. Immediately he pulled her in and kissed her, on the lips this time. She pulled in close to him. He could feel her heart beating faster as their bodies pressed into each other. She had her arms around his waist, pressing on his back. His hands brushed her hair out of her face. All sorts of thoughts raced through her head. _What is happening? Is this real? Seriously, Hotch? _They held the kiss for awhile before they both pulled away. She put her hands up in the air.

"Whoah! Where did that come from?" she asked. He put his hand up in the air and said sorry.

"I'm sorry. I honestly don't know." He said, moving back and putting his back against the wall. They stood and looked down at the ground for awhile. Slowly their eyes moved back up as they met each others' gaze. They rushed at each other and embraced again. This time, she ran her fingers through his hair while he held her around the waist, pulling her body into his. She felt so warm in his arms and he felt like he could kiss her forever. He didn't want to let go. _This is insane, _he thought as he kissed her, _but it feels so good. _When he pulled away to take a breath he leant his forehead against hers.

"What are we doing?" she whispered as they just held each other.

"I don't know," he replied. "But I don't want to stop." He said, kissing her lips lightly.

"I think we should go to bed." She said, looking at his chest. He looked at her lips and nodded.

"Ok." He said, pulling away from her. "Goodnight Emily."

"Goodnight Hotch," she whispered, making her way into her room and closing the door. He walked into his room and closed the door. As she walked over to her bed and collapsed, she closed her eyes and saw his face. "What just happened?" she asked herself. "Did I just kiss Hotch? And he kissed back." She pulled the blanket up over her head and groaned. About five minutes later she heard the door open and close again. As she pulled the blanket down, she saw him climb up onto the bed. She sighed and put her arm around Sammy as he wriggled under the doona.

He lay on the bed, tossing and turning all night, not wanting to sleep, just wanting to think about that kiss. _Did it actually happen? What is she thinking right now? _Hotch lay there thinking for a moment. He heard her bedroom door open and close. _And what about Sammy?_

Neither of them got much sleep that night. Each time Emily closed her eyes all she could see was Hotch's face. When Hotch closed his eyes, all he could think about was holding her close and kissing her again.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: And part three of "the sleepover." This is the next morning. Please read and review.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Criminal Minds.

* * *

The next morning Hannah had arrived early to take Sammy to day-care. Emily was up and had gotten Sammy dressed and ready. She was sitting at the kitchen bench drinking coffee and reading the paper when Hotch made his way down the stairs. She looked up and saw him making his way over. "Morning Hotch," Emily said. "Morning," he replied.

"Do you want to have a shower?" Emily asked. Hotch just nodded. "Ok, well I left a towel in the bathroom for you just in case. The blue one. There's shampoo, soap etc. Make yourself at home." She said as he walked back up the stairs. _Wow, he looks good in the pyjamas! _She thought watching him walk away. Hotch walked upstairs and made his way into the bathroom. He undressed and hopped into the shower. The hot water felt great pouring down his back. He opened the shampoo and smelled. _Emily_. He thought.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later he walked back down, the Hotch she knew... the suit Hotch. "You ready to go?" she asked, picking up her briefcase. He nodded as he picked up the mug of coffee and finished it off.

"I'll see you at the office I guess." She said, turning to lock the door. Hotch stood there waiting. As they walked towards the elevator he placed his hand on Emily's arm, causing her to turn and face him. "What is it? Did you forget something?" she asked. Hotch shook his head and raised his eyebrows. "Last night. Can we talk about it?" he asked. "Ok. I wasn't sure if you wanted to. I mean, we've kind of been here before. And you didn't want it so…" her voice trailed off as she looked at her feet, "But sure, if you want to." He nodded. He didn't say anything more. "Look Hotch, if you want to forget about it, that's fine."

He looked her in the eyes. "I don't want to forget it Emily," he said, a hurt look covering his face. "I didn't mean I wanted to forget," she said, realizing that must've hit hard, "It's hard to forget something like that. But it's not like we have a normal job or a normal life. And there are rules. And you're not exactly one to break the rules. And I'm not saying that I don't want this, but I just really need to be careful. I have Sammy to think of now." She explained, "And like I said before, we've been here. You said no."

"I know we've got rules. And it's not that I didn't want it before. I just wasn't in a place where I could give you what you deserve. But last night, I couldn't sleep so I thought things over," he explained. "Sometimes rules are made to be broken. And if we have a chance at something good, something right, we should break the rules." He continued, placing his palm on the small of her back as they entered the elevator. "And we can take it slow, and make sure the boys understand. And, if you start to get worried about anything, I just want you to be honest," he said. Emily nodded and smiled. "Sure," she replied.

* * *

It had been a long day. The team was still on their paperwork rotation so it was a typical 9-5 few weeks for them. The piles of paperwork were actually starting to shrink as they made their way through the files. Emily had just returned from the cafe down the street and had bought coffee for the rest of the guys. She gave Morgan and Reid their drinks and picked up hers, Rossi's and Hotch's. She walked up the stairs and gave Rossi his drink. She walked over to his office and knocked on Hotch's door. He waved her in, saying goodbye to his call.

"Can you close the door for a moment please?" Hotch asked as Emily handed him the coffee. "Sure," Emily replied, closing the office door. "What's going on?" she asked. "Actually, I have to admit it's not business-related. I'm just wondering if you want to have dinner tonight? We still have a few things to discuss about..." his voice trailed off. Emily nodded. "Sure," she replied. "I should actually be finished at five so I was going to go home. Did you want to meet somewhere, about seven?" she asked. "Uh, how about I pick you up? Seven's a good time." He suggested. She nodded.

"I'll see you then." She said as she walked to the door. He watched her walk down the stairs and towards her desk. He smiled as he thought about their kiss. Well… kisses.

* * *

Five that afternoon, Emily began to pack her stuff into her briefcase. "You got plans for tonight?" Morgan asked her, wondering why the usual workaholic was leaving so early.

"Uh, no. I just want to get an early night. Trying to make the most of these nights at home with Sammy." She replied. As she said goodnight to the guys she looked up at Hotch's office and waved. He waved back. Her phone buzzed as she walked through the thick glass doors.

_I'll see you at seven. I've got a reservation at Arriverderci's. A. _

She smiled as she stepped onto the elevator.

It was exactly seven PM when Emily heard a knock at the door. She wasn't quite ready yet, in fact she was still dressed in her sweats. She ran down the stairs, tripping over Milo on her way. She opened the door and saw Hotch. "I'm so sorry. Give me ten minutes." She cried as Hotch walked in, grinning. _For someone who's usually a stickler for punctuality, she's running late. _When he walked into the living room Gloria was sitting with Sammy, colouring in. She looked up and smiled, greeting Hotch with a hug. Hotch didn't know what to say. He felt a little guilty, Cooper's mom being there and Hotch taking Emily out on a date. Gloria noticed his face and smiled. "I'm happy. The girl deserves this," she said, patting Hotch's back. Hotch smiled as Sammy came over and tugged on Hotch's jacket. Hotch picked up the little boy and hugged him.

Emily had bolted up the stairs to change. Hotch walked over to the window, still holding Sammy and looked out at the view of the Capitol. _Beautiful._ Ten minutes later he heard her making her way down the stairs. His eyes almost popped out of his head as he watched her walk down, dressed in a beautiful red dress that hugged her curves. Her wavy, black locks bounced on her shoulders. She smiled, assuming the silence was good. "You look pretty Mommy," Sammy said, stealing the words from Hotch's mouth.

"Ready?" she asked. Hotch nodded as she gave Sammy a kiss and told Gloria they were just going out to dinner and they wouldn't be back too late. "Take your time, enjoy yourselves. We'll be fine," Gloria assured Emily.

Making their way through the lobby, towards his car parked on the street, he laced his fingers in hers. She looked down at them and smiled. _Are we really doing this? _She asked herself.


End file.
